Rather than just prescribe stronger and stronger glasses each year to nearsighted patients, our doctors are now able to identify, characterize, and slow the progression of myopia.  This management of myopia has a host of positive effects which last for the lifetime of the patient.  Myopic patients have an increased risk of cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal disease as compared to patients who are not myopic.

Myopia management is very much in line with Vista Eye Care’s Mission Statement of preventative eye care, and we are proud to offer this service to our patients.  

Myopia Management is the process of reducing the amount of myopic development in a young patient. While some myopia is attributed to genetics, it is believed that at least half of a patient’s potential myopic progression is influenced by the environment. Through the use of special vision correction and/or topical medication, a child’s end-point myopia can be reduced. This reduction in myopia can help prevent numerous diseases, improve quality of life, and help assure a lifetime of healthy eyes and great vision.

Prescribing single-vision glasses for children with myopia doesn’t appear to slow the progression of myopia.  Glasses are necessary as a back-up to Myopia Management efforts, but wearing distance vision correction will only temporarily result in clear vision, and will not slow the progression of myopia. Myopia Management involves the active measurement of both glasses prescription and length of the eye (“axial length”) in order to best optimize the treatment modalities being used.  Even a small amount of reduced myopia is well worth the effort.  A recent study found that reducing a patient’s final level of myopia by even just 1.00 D reduces the lifelong risk of myopic maculopathy by 40% regardless of the final level of myopia.  Please call our office today at (303) 450-2020 to schedule your child’s annual comprehensive eye and vision examination.  At that time, your child’s eye doctor can determine if a Myopia Management program would be beneficial to their eye health and development.