Myopia Control in Tennessee
OPMT Vision Centers have become a trusted provider of eye care across Middle Tennessee. With our advanced diagnostic technology and our commitment to staying at the forefront of research and developments in optometry, we ensure that each of our patients receives the care they deserve.
One of the specialty treatments our experienced physicians provide is myopia control, which we offer in the form of several different services. These methods don’t “cure” nearsightedness, but have been shown to halt its progression in children.
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What is Myopia?
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a refractive condition that causes poor vision. Myopia occurs when the cornea, or the front of the eye, is too curved, so it doesn’t focus light onto the retina properly. A nearsighted person can see objects clearly up close, while objects in the distance appear blurry.
Although there is no cure for myopia, it can be treated with prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses, and even corrected through LASIK surgery in adults. However, nearsightedness is becoming increasingly common among children, who require stronger and stronger prescriptions as they grow.
Severe degrees of myopia can predispose individuals to eye problems such as retinal detachments, and higher prescriptions cost more to fix with laser eye surgery. However, research has shown that several methods can help slow the progression of nearsightedness in children, which can help keep their prescription relatively low and reduce their chances of developing myopia-related conditions.
Myopia Control Methods
Our trusted eye doctors provide several myopia control services, including the use of atropine drops, multifocal lenses, and orthokeratology (or Ortho-K).
Multifocal Lenses
Myopia is most commonly managed with prescription eyewear like glasses or contact lenses, but multifocal lenses can actually stop nearsightedness from worsening. Multifocal lenses change the eye’s focusing power when transitioning between near and far vision, which can help stall myopia’s progression.
Ortho-K for Myopia Control
Orthokeratology, or Ortho-K, is a therapy akin to “braces for the eyes” and will effectively halt the progression of myopia in children and can even provide temporary nearsightedness correction in adults. Like LASIK, it reshapes the cornea to correct the refractive issue that causes nearsightedness, but without the need for surgery.
Ortho-K uses specialty contact lenses, worn every night to gently reshape the cornea as you sleep. They are then removed in the morning, providing temporary vision correction that lasts during the day. The best candidates for Ortho-K are children under the age of 16 whose prescriptions have been steadily worsening and who have nearsighted parents.
Ortho-K for Adults
Orthokeratology can also be used to provide temporary vision correction in nearsighted adults. If you are seeking freedom from glasses and daily contact lens wear, Ortho-K lenses reshape your cornea overnight for clear vision during the day, but they must be worn every night; long-term Ortho-K will not affect your vision prescription once you stop using them.
However, Ortho-K for adults is a non-invasive and reversible alternative to refractive surgeries such as LASIK and PRK, and may be an option for individuals who aren’t candidates for a laser vision correction procedure. When you come to OPMT Vision Centers for your consultation, we’ll determine whether or not Ortho-K would be a good fit for your eye structure, vision needs, and lifestyle.
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Tennessee Myopia Control
There are a variety of ways to correct nearsightedness, but if your child’s prescription is getting worse and worse every year, it may be time to consider addressing myopia before it progresses further. To schedule an appointment at your nearest OPMT Vision Center, call us today.
