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Myopia Control
and Management at E Eye Place
With over 40+ years of heritage, we are proud to have established ourselves as Perth’s leading Myopia control clinic.
We have the ability to prescribe/accredited to prescribe the following treatment options: low dose atropine compounded topical eye drops, OrthoKeratology/OrthoK, Misight soft daily disposable contact lenses, Miyosmart peripheral defocus spectacle lenses, as well as access to all other/less popular options (Naturalvue and Mark’Ennovy myopia control lenses, MyoKids spectacle lenses, Myovision peripheral defocus spectacle lenses, Myopilux Pro spectacle lenses, Myopilux Max bifocal spectacle lenses and soon, Stellast peripheral defocus lenses).
What is Myopia?
One of the most common vision problems we address is myopia or short-sightedness. Our experience in dealing with symptoms of myopia makes us one of the most comprehensive myopia control clinic in Perth. Our expert team is here to help you understand, manage, and treat myopia symptoms effectively.
Estimates tell us that around one-third of the world’s population has myopia at present, and this is on the rise. With childhood myopia skyrocketing, 50% of the population is likely going to be myopic by 2050. This makes the visual issue one of the most common vision problems worldwide.
What is Short-Sighted or Short-Sightedness?
Myopia, also known as short-sightedness or nearsightedness, is a refractive error causing difficulty seeing objects at a distance while near objects appear clear. The problem occurs because the shape of the eye causes light rays to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it. The result is excessively blurred vision.
The meaning of short-sighted or short-sightedness is the same as that of myopia. It is a refractive error where people struggle to see objects at a distance. The eye’s shape causes light rays to focus in front of the retina rather than directly on it. This causes blurred vision, which is characteristic of myopia.
Treatments of Myopia How to Manage Myopia Control
Our team at E Eye Place offers comprehensive treatment options for myopia control, which are quite effective based on current evidence base. These options include:
- Peripheral defocus Prescription Glasses or Contact Lenses: Sometimes called myopia control glasses, these corrective lenses help focus light correctly on the retina, improving distance vision and preventing growth signals on the peripheral retina.
- Orthokeratology (Ortho-K): This method of myopia control involves wearing specially designed gas-permeable contact lenses overnight to reshape the cornea temporarily during sleep. The reshaping allows clear vision during the day without needing glasses or contact lenses. Freedom from glasses and contact lenses during the day is excellent, especially for busy and active children who do lots of sports and swimming.
- Atropine Eye Drops: Low-dose atropine eye drops can help slow down myopia progression. The treatment is especially beneficial for children because the medication helps to delay progression and axial elongation through temporarily regulating the focusing mechanisms and growth mechanisms.
Signs and Symptoms of Myopia or Short Sightedness
Early intervention provides the best outcome in myopia treatment. This makes catching signs indicating a vision problem vital for optimal myopia management and treatment.
Common indicators include:
- Blurred vision when looking at distant objects
- Squinting to see more clearly
- Frequent headaches or eye strain
- Difficulty seeing at low light conditions, especially at night
- Needing to sit closer to the television or computer screen
What Causes Myopia? Understanding the Best Methods of Myopia Management
While the exact cause of myopia is still not entirely understood, it is believed to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Some potential causes include:
- Genetics- Myopia tends to run in families, and some ethnicities have higher risk. If one or both parents are myopic, their children will likely develop the condition.
- Lack of Outdoor Time- Studies suggest that spending more time outdoors and exposure to natural sunlight may help reduce the risk of developing myopia. This is important especially for young and growing children, when myopia has not emerged.
- Up Close Work- Chronic and extended close work have been linked to an increased risk of myopia.
- Screen Time- Spending excessive time staring at electronic devices have been linked to an increased risk of myopia
Why Treat Myopia Control?
How Can E Eye Place Help With Myopia Management
Managing your myopia is crucial, and making sure that you’re getting expert help from the team at E Eye Place is the lifeline that you need. Our team of optometrists are specialised in myopia control, and myopia management. So come and visit us for your next check up!
Myopia closely links to several other vision issues, with higher levels of myopia associated exponential increased risks of developing various conditions with time These include,
- Myopic Maculopathy
- Retinal Detachment
- Glaucoma
- An Increased Risk of Cataracts at an earlier age
- Increasing Instances of Vision Impairment
- Blindness Due to Vision Impairment (Already Evident in Asian Countries)
Due to the efforts of the late Brien Holden, who ensured myopia received attention as an item on the world health agenda, the World Health Organisation recognises the threat myopia poses to global public health.
Why Visit E Eye Place?
Established and designed to provide myopia control strategies since we started, our clinics are fully equipped with instrumentation for diagnosing and monitoring myopia, including axial length monitoring and corneal mapping using the Oculus Keratograph 5M, MYAH, IOL Master.
Apart from keeping abreast and contributing to myopia control research, our visual assessment protocols also investigates visual function beyond a simple vision and refraction check – the role of how our eyes focus (binocular vision) is important in the decision-making process of which myopia control strategy to employ.
We also listen and understand how your lifestyle needs so that we can recommend the right solution for you or your child. Being independent, we can access all myopia control options available to us.
Schedule your next visit with E Eye Place today to begin myopia control and reduce its progression before it gets worse.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Know If My Child is Short Sighted?
Children with myopic symptoms can find distant objects blurry or hazy. Therefore, parents and guardians need to watch for signs that include sitting too close to the TV and squinting. Nearsightedness is often one of the leading causes of poor performance in school because children cannot see and read what’s written on the board. You will notice that they read and write too close to their faces.
Short sightedness also causes children to have “tired eyes,” which can often lead to headaches. Typically, headaches occur when kids constantly exert efforts to see something far away. Other signs to look for are excessive eye-watering and eye rubbing.
How Can I Help My Child Who Suffers From Myopic Symptoms
There are many ways to help slow down the progression in kids. Parents should encourage them to spend more time outdoors instead of staying indoors to watch TV or use mobile phones. Natural sunlight is vital but make sure the child’s eyes are protected against dangerous UV light by wearing hats and sunglasses.
Keeping a good distance when holding a book or a device can also help preserve their eyesight. Provide good lighting so that your child can read or do their homework without straining their eyes.
Lastly, but most importantly, seek the help of an optometrist who can provide therapy and suitable eyewear solution to help manage the symptoms.
Why Shouldn’t Shortsightedness Be Ignored?
Nearsightedness often progresses when left untreated. It’s not a vision disorder you should ignore in hopes that it will get better eventually. The unfortunate truth is that it rarely stops worsening on its own. People with progressing myopic symptoms can develop various other eye diseases. If no proper treatment is provided, the eyes will suffer and may even lead to blindness.
Early treatment is always the key to helping stop nearsightedness in its tracks. Without the help of an eye doctor, it’s impossible to manage myopia. As you grow older, like many things, it can become worse and increase your chance of glaucoma, cataracts, detached retina, and macular degeneration.
Will Wearing Glasses Make It Worse?
A common misconception about wearing eyeglasses is that they can weaken the eyes. It is one reason why some people avoid wearing them, believing that they help preserve their vision. This is, of course, not true. However, it’s also important to understand that eyeglasses, particularly the traditional ones, will not solve the cause of nearsightedness.
Eyeglasses simply assist in correcting vision for those who are myopic or nearsighted, where the vision disorder is caused by refractive errors. Specialised treatment can help people with that suffer, especially children. This treatment is important to ensure that it does not progress as they get older.