Managing Myopia As parents, we often beat ourselves up for not addressing vision problems earlier, and the thought of the long-term eye health effects can seem scary for both parents and children. The good news is that myopia can be managed effectively once it is diagnosed. To start, make appointments for regular comprehensive eye exams so eye doctors can determine progression and treatment. Eye doctors may suggest spectacles, orthokeratology, atropine, or soft contact lenses to correct your child’s myopia. While each option has its merits, and your child’s eye doctor will discuss them with you, it’s most important to choose a myopia management technique that will actually slow the progression of your child’s myopia. CooperVision offers the Brilliant Futures™ Myopia Management Program, featuring the MiSight® 1 day contact lenses — the first and only soft contact lens FDA-approved * to slow the progression of myopia in children ages 8-12 years old at initiation of treatment. 8* Children can apply the soft, daily wear, single-use contact lenses in their eyes in the morning, wear them for at least 10 hours during the day, and then dispose of them in the evening. Eye doctors need to be certified to offer the program to patients. Select doctors in Blue Sky Vision practices have completed the certification process. “As a healthcare professional, I feel it is essential to be a continual learner and to have the ability to provide our patients with methods that follow the latest research. When I learned of the first FDA-approved contact lens to slow the progression of myopia, combined with my passion for pediatrics, I jumped at the chance to be part of this groundbreaking program,” said Dr. Andrea Shank of VisionCare Associates in East Lansing.
She continued, “There are many of benefits to participating in the Brilliant Futures™ program, with the foremost being the MiSight® 1 day contact lens proven ability to slow the progression of myopia so a patient experiences a lower prescription over time. By slowing down the amount of myopia over time, you not only improve a child’s prescription, you also can improve their general outlook on their vision, and even have an improved self-esteem. Also, having a lower prescription can decrease a child’s risk of having serious health problems as they age, such as a retinal detachment, macular changes, glaucoma, and cataracts.” 9 Now that you know what myopia is and how it can affect your child throughout his or her life, set up some time with your eye doctor if you notice any of the vision issues described above. And if your child is diagnosed with myopia between the ages of 8-12 years old, don’t forget to ask about the Brilliant Futures™ Myopia Management Program to slow the myopia progression. 8*
Citations: 1. Cooper, Y., “With Childhood Myopia Rates on the Rise, the American Optometric Association Highlights the Importance of Early Intervention through Annual Eye Exams,” https://www.aoa. org/newsroom/myopia-rates-on-the-risesyvm (accessed May 1, 2019). 2. Gifford, P., & Gifford, K. L., “The Future of Myopia Control Contact Lenses,” Optom Vis Sci 93, no. 4 (2016): 336-43. 3. Cline, D., Hofstetter, H. W., and Griffin, J. R., Dictionary of Visual Science, 4th ed. (Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann, 1997). 4. Asbell, P .A., “Concern for Myopia Progression Increases with Alarming Rise in Global Prevalence,” Ocular Surgery News, 2016.
5. Xu, L. et al., “High Myopia and Glaucoma Susceptibility: The Beijing Eye Study,” Ophthalmology 114, no. 2 (2007). 6. “What You Should Know if Your Child Is Nearsighted” (infographic). https://www. allaboutvision.com/parents/myopia-facts-infographic.htm (accessed October 29, 2019). 7. Macular Society, “Myopia, Pathological Myopia and Myopic Macular Degeneration.” https:// www.macularsociety.org/myopic-maculopathy (accessed August 5, 2020). 8. Chamberlain, P. et al. “A 3-year Randomized Clinical Trial of MiSight® Lenses for Myopia Control,” Optom Vis Sci 96 (2019):556-67. 9. Tideman, J. W. et al. “Association of Axial Length with Risk of Uncorrectable Visual Impairment for Europeans with Myopia,” JAMA Ophthalmol 134 (2016):1355-63.
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