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Children Myopia Control Treatment

What is Myopia?

Commonly known as Short-Sighted, it is a medical condition when a person can focus on near objects but far objects remain out of focus. Can Myopia be solved easily just by wearing glasses or opting for a LASIK or refractive laser surgery? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

What causes Myopia?

Myopia is caused by elongation of the eyeball.

In children, the younger the onset of myopia, the higher the rate of myopia progression. Hence, it resulted in higher glasses degree at a younger age.

The myth of not wearing glasses when it is needed or wearing a lower degree glasses will caused it to progress at a faster rate.

Genetic, environmental and individual lifestyle factors can contribute to rapid elongation of the eyeball, resulting in faster progression of myopia.

In young adults and adults, onset of myopia is caused by strained eye muscles due to excessive near works such as spending long hours working with the computer.

A kid has more than 70% chances of getting myopia if both their parents are high myopic patients.

Why is it a concern?

By the year 2050, half of the world population will be Myopic! In Singapore, 80% of children are myopic by the age of 18!

When a piece of rubber band is being stretch, it will break beyond the structural limit. The same analogy is used on your eyeball, the complex nerves and blood vessels structure will get damaged if you allow the eyeball to grow uncontrollably. 

The risk of myopia includes blindness caused by retinal detachment, cataract, glaucoma, and myopic maculopathy. In particular, risk of Myopic Maculopathy increases by 40 times when the myopia is above -6.00. This means the higher your myopia, the higher your risk of developing blinding eye diseases. 

What are the types of Myopia Control Treatment?

Gone are the days when kids just wear normal spectacles lenses. Normal spectacles lens only corrects the eyesight and does not help in slowing the progression of myopia. There are only 4 treatment methods scientifically proven to slow down the progression of myopia. All treatments require regular follow-up by our Optometrist.

Myopia Control Spectacles

These are special customised spectacles lenses that are scientifically designed, tested and proven to have myopia controlling effect. As these lenses are getting more common, untested and unproven lenses started claiming to have similar effect. Speak to our Optometrist on proven lenses such as MyoVision, Stellest and Miyosmart.

Myopia Control Contact Lenses

These specially designed daily soft contact lenses that have myopia controlling effect. Kids wear it during the daytime and the lenses are disposed of at the end of the day. This special daily disposable lens ensures healthy eyes and reduce the chances of eye infection.

Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)

These special hard contact lenses are worn while sleeping. It uses a non-surgical procedure (Eye Brace) to reshape the cornea gently and pain-free. Just by wearing these lenses overnight, kids will be able to see clearly the next day without spectacles or contact lenses during their waking hours.

Atropine Eye Drop

This is a prescription drug prescribed by an Ophthalmologist (Eye Doctor). The medication reduces eye muscle activities, which are thought to be the main cause of myopia progression. In Singapore, currently, it can only be prescribed by an Ophthalmologist.