Myopia Treatment
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What is Myopia Progression control? Myopia progression control (also known as Myopia management) aims to slow down the progression of myopia in children through identifying risk factors, making adjustments to lifestyle, OrthoK lenses (specialized night contact lenses), low dose Atropine eye drops, Misight soft contact lenses and other peripheral defocus lenses.
Traditionally, Eye glasses and contact lenses are commonly recommended and used to correct Myopia (near-sighted vision problems). However, glasses and regular contact lenses have no effect on slowing eye progression. Very often, higher prescription and thicker glasses are needed each year for children. Orthokerology (OrthoK) has been shown to be very effective in myopia treatment by slowing down its progression. Majority of our patients to not have to increase their prescription each year.
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OrthoK is also an excellent way to correction vision correction. Patients do not need to wear glasses nor contact lens during the day. Based on current research (please refer to Current Publications page and Related Websites page) and clinical observation, it appears very likely that Ortho-K or CRT can essentially stop (or lease slow down) the progression of myopia in the young, emerging myope.
It is highly recommended for every emerging myope to be given the opportunity to have Ortho-K lenses. It allows the stabilizing myopia at low levels and reducing the risks of eye diseases (retinal detachment, macular degeneration and glaucoma et al). We do not have to wait until the young myope progress to higher level before you step in with a better alternative. So keep them at low level!
Why does Ortho-K control myopia progression? It turns out that myopia development appears to be controlled by the focus of the peripheral retina. At the recent Orthokeratology Academy of America meeting, there was a fair amount of discussion, continued from years ago, about myopia control based on research by Earl Smith, O.D. of the College of Optometry, Houston. His research on monkeys. Similar results have been found in many other different species.
The eye has an emmetropization process (this means the eye wants to have zero correction) that is mediated primarily by the peripheral retina to a much greater degree than the central retina. The eyeball grows during maturation and stops growing when the peripheral retina comes into focus. During axial length growth the peripheral retina predicts which way the eye is going to change.
Think of peripheral correction as being able to exist separate and distinct from "regular" or central focusing. Or what he calls hyperopic or myopic peripheral defocus. If you have good central acuity, you might have a peripheral defocus in front or behind the retina.
If the peripheral retina is hyperopic, in effect the peripheral image is behind the peripheral retina, then the signal within the retina is to keep growing, and with it the central retina moves further out (grows) from Plano to myopic if measured centrally, like we all do measure it. If your peripheral retina is myopic, in effect the peripheral image is in front of the retina, the retinal signal is to stop or slow growth.
The key to control the growth is curvature of field - move the peripheral retinal image where it needs to be for kids who continue to get more nearsighted (progressive myopia), bring it forward so it is closer to the retina in the periphery.
Standard spectacle lenses with their "corrected curves" move the peripheral image in the direction that encourages myopic progression.
Ortho-K corneas, due to the para-central plus powers induced, move the image closer to the retina which discourages axial growth.
For more information or schedule a free Myopia control/Ortho-K consultation, please call or text at 781-676-2020.
| drzhangeyecare.com-pdf |