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Is Your Child A Candidate For Myopia Management? Rapidly progressing myopia is more than just a hassle — today’s research shows that it will put your child at increased risk of developing serious eye diseases in late adulthood, such as glaucoma, cataracts, retinal detachment and macular degeneration. Fortunately, Dr. Brian Cho can help slow the progression of your child’s myopia with a customized myopia management program. What is Myopia Management? Myopia management is an evidence-based program that can halt or slow the progression of myopia in children. Each myopia management treatment has varying benefits and levels of efficacy; Dr. Brian Cho can help you decide which method is most suitable for your child depending on their age and myopia level. Is Myopia Management Right for My Child? The ideal candidate for myopia management is a child or young adult with practically any degree of myopia. Although it’s best to begin myopia management as early as possible, many older children, teens, and college students can still benefit from this treatment. But first, here are a few factors to consider before embarking on a myopia management program: The patient must be at least 6 or 7 years of age He or she must be willing and able to care for contact lenses Must have a certain level of maturity and responsibility Below are some examples of myopia management patients: A 9-year-old recently diagnosed with myopia is already noticing the need to increase her prescription. She begins myopia management to slow down or stop her deteriorating distance vision. This is a great time to start myopia management, as it offers the best chance of preserving long-term eye health. Myopia management is also suitable for young teens or pre-teens. A 12-year-old who wants to eliminate the need for daytime glasses or contact lenses may find certain myopia management treatments to be very appealing. A young teen who feels insecure about their appearance when wearing glasses, or who finds that glasses interfere with sports and other activities, may also find myopia management to be a great option. A 16-year-old teen with mild to moderate myopia hopes to undergo corrective surgery in the future. If they begin myopia management at 16, they have a good chance of stabilizing their vision until they meet the age requirements for corrective surgery a few years later. In addition to decreasing their risks of future eye disease, slowing their myopia progression may increase their chance of successful corrective surgery. We Can Help Control Your Child’s Myopia Myopia management works best when parents wish to take a proactive role in preserving their child’s vision in the long term. The earlier a child receives myopia management, the easier it is to control myopia’s progression and the better the long-term results. If your child has myopia, take action and help mitigate their risk of developing eye disease in the future. For further information or to schedule your consultation, contact Bellport Perspective Eye Care today. Our practice serves patients from Bellport, Coram, Patchogue, and Sayville, NY and surrounding communities. REFERENCES https://optometry.nova.edu/ce/orlandoweekend/micklesteabcoamyopia https://www.mykidsvision.org/blog/when-to-start-and-when-to-stop-myopia-management/
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What Are Overnight Ortho-K Contact Lenses? Ortho-k lenses are customized contact lenses that gently reshape the cornea, the front part of the eye, overnight, allowing children and adults to enjoy clear vision the following day—without needing to wear glasses or contact lenses. They’re ideal for people with myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. Studies have shown that ortho-k lenses can help stop the progression of myopia in children and teenagers, which in turn can help prevent eye diseases in adulthood. Moreover, ortho-k is a great option for athletes of any age who don’t want to deal with contact lenses or glasses while playing sports. The lenses may also allow many adults with presbyopia — a normal part of the ageing process — to forgo reading glasses. The lenses enable professionals like pilots and people in law enforcement to meet their jobs’ unaided vision requirements. What Is Orthokeratology/Ortho-K? Orthokeratology (also called ortho-k), is specially fitted and designed gas permeable contact lenses that temporarily and gently reshape the cornea to correct refractive errors like myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. By wearing ortho-k lenses every night, anyone can enjoy clear, sharp vision during the day, without relying on eyeglasses or contact lenses. Research shows that ortho-k lenses not only effectively removes the need to wear glasses or daytime contact lenses; they can also slow and sometimes stop the progression of myopia. That’s important because children with moderate to severe myopia are at risk of developing sight-threatening eye diseases later in life. This explains why many optometrists prescribe ortho-k for myopia management. The Other Names For Ortho-K Over the years you may have heard different terms and names for orthokeratology. While there are different orthokeratology lens fitting systems and designs, the principles behind them in reshaping the cornea are similar. These names include: Ortho-k Accelerated Ortho-K (AOK) Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT) Dream Lenses Global Orthokeratology Vision (GOV) Gentle Vision Shaping System (GVSS) Molding Lenses Natural Vision Improvement Night Lenses Overnight Lenses Overnight Corneal Reshaping (OCR) Vision Shaping Treatment (VST) What Are the Benefits of Ortho-K? Slows the progression of myopia – Having moderate to high myopia is a risk factor for developing serious eye conditions in adulthood. Correct refractive errors – The lenses can correct myopia, presbyopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Provide fast correction – Ortho-k provides fast results. Some people are able to get rid of their corrective lenses after a single night of treatment. However, if you or your child has a strong prescription, it may take a few days or two to three weeks for optimal results. Clear vision all day long – The gentle corneal reshaping that corrects vision overnight lasts all day and at times even two days. They’re comfortable – Created with precise mapping technology, ortho-k lenses are custom-fit to the eyes, thus ensuring optimal comfort. Have an excellent safety record – Orthokeratology lenses provide safe vision correction when used properly and according to hygiene protocols. CRT by Paragon is also FDA-approved for how effective it is! Reshape the cornea temporarily – The changes to the corneal shape aren’t permanent, so if patients eventually opt for laser refractive surgery, they can stop using the lenses and the cornea will naturally revert to its original shape. This allows for better laser results. Are Overnight Ortho-K Lenses Safe? Yes. Ortho-k is a safe, non-surgical, and reversible alternative to LASIK. It is ideal for any adult who is active during the day and doesn’t want to wear contact lenses or glasses. Unlike standard contact lenses, which can damage your eyes if you wear them overnight, ortho-k lenses are specially designed to be worn while you sleep! As with any contact lenses, make sure to always follow your eye doctor‘s instructions regarding how to properly handle and care for your overnight lenses. For more information on ortho-k lenses, contact Bellport Perspective Eye Care today. We’ll be happy to schedule an eye exam and answer any questions you may have. Our practice serves patients from Bellport, Coram, Patchogue, and Sayville, NY and surrounding communities.