Myopia Management in Newtown Square

Myopia is one of the most common ophthalmological diseases in the world. The prevalence has almost doubled worldwide within the past two decades and the age of onset is decreasing. Getting help can help slow the progression of myopia.

Looking for effective myopia treatment in Philadelphia? Look no further than Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus Associates, your trusted local experts in myopia management. Myopia, a common eye condition, has been on the rise worldwide, and early intervention is crucial to slow down its progression.

Located in Newtown Square, our dedicated team serves patients in Glens Mills, West Chester, Wayne, Bryn Mawr, Havertown, Broomall, and surrounding areas in PA. Led by our esteemed board-certified ophthalmologist, Dr. Cynthia Alley, we specialize in providing comprehensive myopia management services tailored to your individual needs.

Our expert team will conduct a thorough diagnosis of your myopia symptoms to determine if myopia management is the right choice for you. With our advanced treatment plans, we aim to slow down the progression of your myopia, offering you long-term benefits for your eye health.

Take the first step towards better vision today! Call our office at (610) 347-7672 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Alley and learn more about our effective myopia management solutions. Don’t wait any longer—start your journey towards clearer vision and healthier eyes now.

What is Myopia?

Myopia is the proper name for nearsightedness. This means you are unable to see things clearly unless they are relatively close to you.

Myopia usually develops as a child grows when the eye is longer than average from front to back. This causes the light that enters the eye to focus in front of the retina (myopic), rather than on the surface of the eye.

How Do I Know if I or My Child is Nearsighted?

One may suspect myopia if you or your child:

• has to squint when looking far away
• has difficulty recognizing faces from a distance
• holds a book close to the eyes to read
• moves closer to the TV or to the front of the classroom to see better
• complains about things being blurry or unclear

The best way to know if you or your child is nearsighted is to attend regular checkups with your doctor and to see an optometrist if you suspect any issues. Some children will complain about their vision but others may not know any different.

How Does Myopia Impact a Patient’s Life?

The age of onset of myopia is several decades earlier than most other eye diseases. Considering the recurring expenses for refractive correction, treatment of complications and visual rehabilitation, the lifetime financial burden of myopia for each patient is substantial. In addition, blurry vision and dependence on optical correction at a young age may have a profound impact on self-esteem as well as the lifestyle and career choices of myopic patients. Higher amounts of myopia are associated with development of sight threatening conditions later in life, including retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataracts, and myopic maculopathy.

What Are the Risks for Developing Myopia?

• Family History – A child has a greater risk of developing myopia if one or both parents are myopic. Children with myopic parents also progress faster than those without myopic parents.
• Visual Environment – Spending less than 90 minutes per day outdoors increases the risk of myopic development. This is especially pronounced when combined with more than three hours a day of close-range activities.
• Refraction – If the child exhibits 0.50 diopters or less of hyperopia or “farsightedness” at age 6 to 7.
• Age – The younger a child is when he or she becomes myopic, the faster the myopia will progress.
• Ethnicity – Asian ethnicity has been linked to faster myopia progression.

What is Myopia Management?

Myopia Management, also known as “myopia control,” is the process of reducing the amount of myopic development in a young patient. While some myopia is attributed to genetics, it is believed that at least half of a patient’s potential myopic progression is influenced by the environment. By using special vision correction and/or topical medication, a child’s end-point myopia can be reduced. This reduction in myopia can help prevent myopia related diseases, improve quality of life, and help assure a lifetime of healthy eyes and great vision. Patients in a Myopia Management program will typically continue to become more myopic, though at a reduced rate than those not undergoing treatment.

How is Myopia Management Different from Prescribing Regular Glasses and Contact Lenses?

Prescribing single-vision glasses for children with myopia does not appear to slow the progression of myopia. Glasses are necessary to achieve clear vision, but wearing distance vision correction. Myopia Management involves treatment modalities and lifestyle changes to slow the progression of myopia.

What Can I Do to Manage my Myopia?

If you or a child suffers from nearsightedness, there are ways to help. These are easy to implement and can be done on a regular basis.

Ideas to manage myopia include:

• Spend more time outdoors. According to researchers, exposure to the sun’s UV rays may change the molecular structure of eye and may decrease the lifetime risk of nearsightedness
• Limit time on tablets, computers or digital devices
• Try to avoid eye strain during near tasks when possible
• Give yourself a break every 20 minutes to rest your eyes
• Hold objects at least at arm’s length
• Use proper lighting
• Eat a healthy diet and control chronic health conditions

Is a Small Amount of Myopia Prevention Worth Striving for?

Even a small amount of reduced myopia is well worth the effort. A recent study found that reducing a patient’s final level of myopia by 1.00 D reduces the lifelong risk of myopic maculopathy by 40% regardless of the final level of myopia.
Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus Associates utilized the following methods to help slow the progression of nearsightedness (eye growth) in children:

1. MiSight® 1 day Contact Lenses: The MiSight® 1 day daily disposable contact lens is currently the only FDA approved treatment in the United States for slowing the progression of myopia. The MiSight® 1 day contact lens, which is supported by CooperVision’s Brilliant Futures program, was found to slow the progression of myopia by about 60% during the study that supported this product’s approval.
2. Non-FDA Approved Myopia Control Soft Bifocal Contact Lenses: These contact lenses were originally designed to help people with presbyopia (loss of ability to see at near with age) to see objects clearly at distance and near. Recent research suggests that these contact lenses have the optical ability to also slow nearsightedness progression.
3. 0.01% to 0.05% Atropine Eye Drops: These eye drops are placed in each eye before bed. It is currently not known how this medication slows myopia development, but low concentration (0.01% to 0.05%) atropine has been shown to slow myopia progression by about 60 percent without significant side effects.

Can Multiple Treatment Modalities Be Used in a Myopia Management Program?

When it comes to Myopia Management, every child progresses differently. For the majority of our Myopia Management patients, a single treatment is adequate to slow their myopic progression. If the patient’s myopia is still increasing at a substantial rate, a second treatment method may be introduced. For example, a patient may use atropine and soft multifocal contact lenses.

Why is Every Treatment Program Different?

Every patient’s Myopia Management program is unique because every patient is unique! Many factors are taken into consideration when choosing a Myopia Management protocol, including patient age, refractive error at initiation of treatment, amount of astigmatism, patient activity level, and patient/ family preference. The appropriate treatment protocol will be determined after a consultation with one of our doctors.

Does Insurance Cover Myopia Management?

There is currently no insurance or vision plan coverage for Myopia Management services. Costs of the programs differ depending on which protocol is implemented.

What Should We Expect at a Myopia Management Visit?

Our technicians and doctors will perform a variety of testing to establish baseline information about the shape of your child’s eyes, and to monitor the efficacy of our Myopia Management efforts as we go forward. These tests may include:

• Corneal topography
• Visual acuities
• Cycloplegic refraction
• Axial length measurement (ultrasound)
• Contact lens fitting (for those patients wearing contact lenses)
• Instructions on the use of low-dose atropine (for those patients undergoing atropine treatment)
• Patient and parent education

How Long Does My Child Need to Adhere to a Myopia Management Program?

We recommend your child stay in our Myopia Management program until there is no risk of their eyes continuing to elongate. Since everyone’s eyes are unique, the length of time your child will benefit from staying in a
Myopia Management is variable. We will monitor your child’s eyes closely and give you yearly updates.

All patients considering Myopia Management must have a comprehensive eye exam by one of our providers to
determine the overall health of the eyes and perform a baseline refraction. If it is determined that your child may
benefit from Myopia Management, a consultation will be scheduled. At this consultation, you and your child’s doctor can discuss the various protocols in detail and determine which one would be the best fit for your child.

Schedule an Appointment for Myopia Treatment in Philadelphia, PA

Looking for effective myopia management in Newtown Square, PA? Don’t let nearsightedness hold you back – take control of your vision with our comprehensive treatment options. At our office, we specialize in providing personalized care for patients suffering from myopia in Newtown Square, Glens Mills, West Chester, Wayne, Bryn Mawr, Havertown, and Broomall, PA. Our expert team is dedicated to helping you slow down the progression of myopia and enjoy better vision. Don’t wait any longer to take the first step towards clearer eyesight. Call our office in Newtown Square, PA at (610) 347-7672 and schedule an appointment for myopia management today.