What is Myopia?

Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, causes poor long-distance vision. In myopic eyes, the eyeball is either longer than normal or the cornea is too curved, causing objects far away to appear blurry. Over one-third of the world’s population has myopia, and this could increase to 50% by 2050.

What causes Myopia?

If a person’s eyeball is elongated or their cornea is too curved, it affects where light is focused inside the eye. Instead of hitting the retina at the back of the eye, light falls short of the surface, causing objects in the distance to appear blurry. It’s just like setting up a projector; the image won’t be clear if the screen is positioned too far away from the projector.

Myopia Risk Factors

More "Close Work"
2+ hours per day spent on “close work” (not including school work) can increase the risk of myopia.
Myopic Parents
There is a 25% chance a child will develop myopia if one parent
is myopic and a 50% chance if both are myopic.
Vision Disorders
Specific binocular vision and focusing disorders increase the risk of myopia.
<9 Year Onset
Myopia progresses faster at an early age, especially if a child is less than 9 years old.
Less Natural Light
Less than 60-90 minutes per day spent outdoors in natural sunlight could contribute to myopia.

Why is Myopia Control Important?

Controlling Myopia reduces the risk of serious conditions including:

Cataracts
Cataracts tend to develop sooner in nearsighted eyes.
Glaucoma
Nearsighted people have a 2-3x greater risk of glaucoma.
Retinal Detachment
Nearsightedness increases the risk of retinal detachment.
Myopic Maculopathy
A prescription over -6.00D poses a 40x increased risk for the degeneration of the central retina.

MiSight®

Your child leads an active life – from playing sports, spending time with their friends, or attending school, myopia (nearsightedness) can make doing their favorite things more challenging. Lake Lanier Eye Care is proud to offer MiSight®, a new FDA-approved contact lens that works to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children. Learn more about this technology below and contact us to find out if MiSight® is right for your child!

Misight® 1 Day Contact Lenses

Your child will love MiSight® 1 Day Contact Lenses because they are soft and easy to use while allowing them to enjoy clear vision and freedom from glasses. They’ll be able to enjoy the activities they love while slowing the progression of myopia. It’s a win-win!

Myopia

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is the inability to see objects clearly at a distance. This is caused by the elongation of the eye. In earlier decades, only about 25% of Americans suffered from nearsightedness. Today, more than 40% of Americans are nearsighted and that number is increasing quickly – especially in children.

There are three categories of myopia: mild, moderate, and high. It is important to understand how severe your child’s myopia is in order to get them the necessary treatment.

Slow the Progression

While myopia in children may seem normal, slowing the progression of their condition is important. In the short term, myopia can impact a child’s ability to perform at school or during sports and activities. Long-term, those with high myopia are at an increased risk for vision-threatening eye conditions such as retinal detachment, glaucoma, early cataracts, and myopic maculopathy – a leading cause of blindness.

Thankfully, there are a number of ways to slow the progression of myopia in children including:

Increase Time Outside
Spending more time outside can promote healthy eye growth, help slow the progression of myopia, and reduce the chance of onset.
Decrease Screen Time
Decreasing your child’s screen time has also been shown to help slow the progression of myopia. When possible, have your child use the 20-20-20 rule – take a 20-second break to view something 20 feet away every 20 minutes.
Treatments and Prescriptions
There are also treatments, such as MiSight®, that your child can try to slow the progression of myopia. MiSight® contact lenses are both easy and comfortable to wear.

FAQs

When it comes to your child’s vision, we understand you may have questions. We’ve compiled the most frequently asked questions we receive about MiSight and Myopia for you. If you still have questions, please contact our team!

What is Misight®?

MiSight® 1-day contact lenses, the only FDA-approved contact lenses, slow the progression of myopia in children between the ages of eight and twelve. This new treatment has been shown to reduce myopia progression by more than half compared to other myopia treatments.

Why is Controlling Nearsightedness Important?

Myopia can progress and get worse over time. It can also lead to more severe sight conditions later in life such as retinal detachment, myopic maculopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts. It is important to begin controlling your child’s myopia while they’re young, so they can avoid these eye conditions as they grow up.

How Does Misight® Work?

MiSight® contact lenses correct distance vision immediately but it works overtime to slow the elongation of the eye and, in turn, slows the progression of myopia. The lenses are comfortable to wear and accommodate an active lifestyle.

Ortho-k

Many patients with vision problems heartily embrace the idea of enjoying vision correction without having to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses. Not all of these patients, however, are good candidates for PRK or Lasik surgery, the two standard surgeries used to alter the way the cornea of the eye refracts light. If that describes you, don’t fret – because here at Lake Lake Lanier Eye Care, we offer an advanced corneal reshaping technique known as orthokeratology or Ortho-K. Continue reading if you’re interested in learning more about this state-of-the-art solution.

Understanding the Problem

The doctors at Lake Lanier Eye Care will map the shape of your corneas precisely and then fabricate special contact lenses. Unlike standard contacts, you’ll wear these lenses at night. The lenses perform a subtle corneal reshaping while you sleep, meaning that you can take them out the next morning and enjoy perfect or near-perfect vision.

Ortho-K can help you see clearly for one or two days at a time, possibly even longer. By wearing them regularly at night, you can maintain your clarity of vision for as long as you decide to continue using them. If you decide to use another form of vision correction, simply stop using the Ortho-K lenses and your corneas will assume their previous shape once again.

Is Ortho-k Right for Me?

While you might leap at the thought of permanently correcting vision problems, laser surgery isn’t always the best eye care option. For instance, if you suffer from thin corneas, untreated cataracts, diabetes, certain autoimmune diseases, or a corneal disease called Keratoconus, you should avoid laser eye surgery.

Some of our patients simply don’t like the idea of any kind of surgery, or they want a reversible procedure. Orthokeratology may be an ideal choice for these individuals.

See for Yourself

“We have been doing the Ortho K night contacts for my 8 yr old daughter and 11 yr old son for a few months now, and they love not having to wear glasses during the day. Thankful Dr. Bordner suggested we try them.”

- T. Douglas

“Never heard of Ortho K until I brought my 14-year-old in for an eye exam. Dr. Bordner and his staff were very informative and recommended Ortho K as the best solution for my daughter’s eye care needs given her active lifestyle. I must say we are very pleased with the results and our overall experience at Lake Lanier Eye Care!!!

- Tanya S.

“I was struggling with wearing glasses and contacts so Dr. Brett suggested I try Ortho K. After a short time period my vision was 20/20 and I no longer needed my glasses or contacts during the day. He was knowledgeable and took the time to explain the process making it a far more comfortable experience.”

- Melody M.

“Thank you, Dr. Bordner, for suggesting OrthoK for my 10 and 8-year-olds. It works great and it’s awesome for the kids not to wear glasses during the day but just wear contacts during the night. Their Vision is 20-20 now and they have no issues using them, and it’s already 2 months since they got it.”

- Swetha K.

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Ortho-K FAQs

Many of our patients have not heard of Ortho-K before. Learn more about this solution and if it’s right for you or a member of your family.

What is Ortho-k?

Orthokeratology (ortho-k) is the fitting of specially designed gas-permeable contact lenses that you wear overnight. While you are asleep, the lenses gently reshape the front surface of your eye (cornea) so you can see clearly the following day after you remove the lenses when you wake up.

How Does Ortho-k Work?

The lenses subtly reshape your cornea while you sleep. This means when you take them out the next morning, you’ll be able to see perfectly or near-perfectly. By wearing them regularly each night you can maintain your perfect vision for as long as you decide to continue using them.

How Long Does Ortho-k Last?

Ortho-K can help you see clearly for one or two days at a time. If you wear them consistently, you can maintain your clear vision for as long as you continue wearing them. In the case you decide to use a different form of vision correction, all you need to do is stop wearing your Ortho-K lenses and your corneas will assume their previous shape.

What Are the Risks of Ortho-k?

The FDA has declared Ortho-K lenses safe for use by patients of all ages – including young children. The risks for Ortho-K lenses are very similar to the risks of wearing any type of contact lenses. The most common risk is an infection in the eye caused by inadequate hygiene. It is imperative to properly clean your hands and disinfect the contact lenses before each use!

Is Ortho-k Right for Me?

We typically recommend Ortho-K lenses to patients who are looking for vision correction for myopia but don’t want to wear glasses or contact lenses. We also recommend these lenses for those who suffer from dry eye or who have trouble wearing regular contact lenses. Ortho-K lenses are also a great solution for adults and children who are active in sports.

Is Getting Ortho-k Complicated?

No! The process of being fitted for Ortho-K lenses is only slightly longer than a typical contact lens fitting and has a high success rate so you can be sure your lenses will fit properly after your appointment!

Atropine Eye Drops

One of the thoughts about the progression of myopia is that it is associated with eye strain. The additional stresses that are placed on the eye when straining push the eye further out of its proper shape. Atropine eye drops are specifically designed to help stop the eye from straining and help the muscles relax. Atropine is similar to the eye drops that are used when you get your eyes dilated but lasts throughout the entire day rather than just a few hours. Atropine dilates the pupil of the eye and prevents them from closing too tightly and limiting your vision. This treatment has been shown to be especially effective in slowing the progression of myopia in children.

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Myopia Management

What is Myopia?

What causes Myopia?

Myopia Risk Factors