Visit our eye doctor to find out if your child has myopia
Nearsightedness, also known as myopia, is the most common vision condition in kids. Put simply, it means that when your child looks at objects in the distance, they appear blurred. When nearsightedness begins, most kids won’t complain. However, parents and school teachers may notice them squinting all the time. This is a bright red warning that it’s time for an eye exam!
A thorough assessment of your child’s vision is the only dependable way to detect or rule out nearsightedness or any other vision condition. Our eye doctor in East Plano, Texas, is experienced in performing pediatric eye exams; contact Switalski Eye Care to book an appointment – we’re open after school hours and on Saturdays.
What causes nearsightedness?
Usually, nearsightedness is inherited. It is caused by having an elongated eyeball, which affects the path of light when it enters the eye. Instead of focusing directly on the retina, which is needed for clear vision, light bends incorrectly and focuses in front of the retina, making things that are far away look blurry.
Myopia tends to worsen throughout childhood, with the progression coming to a halt by about 20 years old, in most patients. By that point, kids and young adults may need very strong prescription lenses in order to see clearly.
What’s the treatment for nearsightedness?
The frontline, classic treatments recommended by eye doctors for nearsightedness are eyeglasses or contact lenses. After we check your child’s visual acuity in our East Plano optometry practice, we’ll issue a precise vision prescription. Then, you can shop our optical collection for glasses. When kids prefer contact lenses, we’ll perform a specialized eye exam to ensure they are good candidates and a fitting to determine the best type of contacts.
Is there a way to slow the deterioration of nearsightedness?
Yes. Called myopia control or myopia management, treatment to slow the progression of nearsightedness is becoming a popular method recommended for kids.
Many children with nearsightedness find their vision worsens over time, and each year, they need a new, more powerful vision prescription. Not only might this require thicker, less attractive eyeglass lenses, but it’s also associated with an increased risk of developing ocular disease in the future. Myopia control has shown tremendous promise as a way to help kids avoid these problems. Two typical types of myopia management include orthokeratology, better known as ortho-k, and dual-focus contact lenses. To find out if myopia control is suitable for your child, consult with our East Plano eye doctor.
Sharp vision is necessary for all kids to develop their potential and perform at their best in school, on the sports field, when socializing and for all parts of life. Book an eye exam to ensure that your child isn’t suffering from undetected nearsightedness.
At Switalski Eye Care, we put your family's needs first. Talk to us about how we can help you maintain healthy vision. Call us today: 855-847-4686 or book an appointment online to see one of our East Plano eye doctors.
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