Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is one of the most common correctable vision problems in the developed world. In the United States alone, childhood myopia cases have more than doubled in the last fifty years.

What is Myopia?

Myopia is a refractive error that affects our distance vision. If the surface of your eye is too sleep, or your eye is too long, light ends up focusing in front of your retina instead of on it. This causes blurry vision, which can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Myopia becomes progressively worse over time, resulting in the need for stronger glasses as we age.

Controlling Myopia

Myopic eyes change continuously during childhood, which can cause the refractive error to become steadily worse unless it is controlled. There are a variety of ways that myopia can be controlled, including through the use of corneal refractive therapy (ortho-k) and multifocal contact lenses.

Corneal refractive therapy or ortho-k (orthokeratology) contact lenses use proprietary corneal reshaping lenses to gently reshape your corneas as you sleep.

These lenses are made of a rigid, gas-permeable material, and their ability to reshape your corneas means that you can enjoy clear, crisp vision during the day, without the use of eyewear. However, this change is only temporary, so you will need to wear your contact lenses every night to continue to enjoy clear vision.

Wearing corneal refractive lenses can help slow the progression of myopia, preserving your vision and helping keep your prescription low.

Patients who have large pupils, dry eyes, or very high prescriptions may not be good candidates for corneal refractive therapy. Your optometrist can determine if you are a good candidate during your next appointment.