Myopia Control For Your Child!

Glasses aren't the only solution to your child's nearsightedness - try Myopia Control and you will see the difference!

Vision Shaping To Keep Kids’ Eyes Fit!

You’ve probably heard the terms CRT and ortho-k, but do you fully understand what they mean? Any discussion of Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT) and orthokeratology (ortho-k) must begin with a basic definition of these specialized lenses and their vision shaping process.

Ortho-k, which has been around for many years, offers an effective non-surgical way for nearsighted people to have clear vision without wearing eyeglasses or inserting daytime contact lenses. CRT lenses, made by Paragon and FDA-approved in 2002, are an advanced version of ortho-k lenses constructed from newer materials. At Wink Eyecare Boutique, Dr. Rachel Cohn is experienced in evaluating and fitting children with CRT in our modern, comfortable clinic in Potomac, MD.

Is Your Child Tired Of Wearing Eyeglasses Or Contacts?

CRT May Be The Solution!

Even after years of needing eyewear, CRT can allow your nearsighted child to leave home and view all the fine details of the world with no eyeglasses or contacts. Before bedtime, she’ll need to insert the CRT lenses, which are specialized, gas permeable lenses.

While sleeping, these contacts will gently mold her cornea into a new shape, correcting the refractive error causing myopia (nearsightedness). Upon awakening, she’ll remove the lenses and enjoy sharp vision. The effects typically last one to two days, so these ortho-k lenses must be worn regularly for consistent results.

How Can CRT Help Your Child’s Nearsightedness?

Myopia is an increasing problem in kids around the world. The cause behind this growing vision condition isn’t crystal-clear, yet a possible culprit is the great amount of time many kids spend indoors gazing at hand-held electronic devices. Nowadays, we diagnose a very large number of children with nearsightedness in our Potomac clinic. When kids return for follow-up eye exams, may require a new, stronger vision prescription every year.

Parents are alarmed by the rapid annual deterioration of their child’s eyesight, and kids are generally dismayed or embarrassed by the increasing thickness of their lenses! CRT can address and fix these concerns.

Many scientific studies have shown that in addition to correcting vision temporarily, CRT can slow, or possibly halt, the continued progression of myopia in kids – by as much as 90%! By flattening the corneal curvature, CRT can control the further decline of nearsightedness. As long as your child has healthy eyes and mild to moderate myopia, he may be a good candidate for ortho-k. Please contact us for more info and to schedule an eye exam and CRT fitting with Dr. Cohn.

More Benefits Of CRT For Kids

Most active children don’t want to be bothered by eyeglasses slipping down their nose when they’re running on the sports field. Additionally, eyeglasses are always being thrown into the bottom of a backpack, or tossed on the table before running out to play.

This leads to frequent breakage or losses, and every parent bemoans the cost of constantly repairing or replacing eyeglasses! CRT lenses are worn only in bed, so the risk of loss or damage is very minimal.

When compared to regular contacts, CRT lenses aren’t worn during the day. Therefore, kids who spend a lot of time outdoors in dirty, dusty fields, on the beach, or in swimming pools, won’t be bothered by contacts.

The rapid worsening of nearsightedness in kids has also been associated with poor future eye health. By putting the brakes on your child’s myopia progression, you are helping to improve his ocular health as an adult, making him less prone to eye disease and other complications.

Why Use CRT For Myopia Control In Kids NOW And Not LASIK When They're OLDER?

Laser surgeries, such as LASIK, may be an option for an adult, but any surgery always carries along a number of risks. In contrast, many studies have demonstrated that ortho-k vision shaping is safe for all ages. It is currently regarded as the ideal method for efficient myopia control in children.

Help your child look sharp and feel great! Please contact Dr. Cohn to reserve an appointment to discuss your child’s candidacy for CRT. We fit many kids with CRT lenses, and we’re waiting to see you in our Potomac office.

Background Behind Myopia Control

Regular comprehensive eye exams for your child at all stages of their development is extremely important to ensure a child’s vision will develop as it should and to diagnose any eye conditions that may be affecting your child.

There are many eye conditions, such as strabismus and amblyopia that can be corrected easily if caught early but can do irreversible damage that will affect a child into adulthood if left undiagnosed and untreated for too long.

However, one of the leading causes of ocular disease in adults that continues to progress is myopia or nearsightedness.

Myopia Control May Include (click to open)

Orthokeratology (“ortho-k”) or Corneal Refractive Therapy
Atropine Drops
Multifocal contact lenses
Multifocal eyeglasses

While nearsightedness or myopia for many has been corrected through glasses or contact lenses, a modern concept has developed called Myopia Control.

Myopia control is oriented to slow down or stop the progression of myopia since over the past few decades myopia has increased at an alarming rate.

Unfortunately, the percentage of moderate to high myopia has grown in number and myopia control is becoming a major consideration for parents & their child’s eye health.

Levels of Myopia (click to open)

Mild myopia: -0.25 to -3.00 D
Moderate myopia: Between -3.00 to -6.00 D
High myopia: More than -6.00 D

Slow Or Stop Myopia Control

Myopia Control Prevents Risk of Ocular Disease

Cataracts:The rate of progression of myopia has been linked to the development of cataracts. The higher the level of myopia in a child, the faster the rate cataracts can develop when they get older.
Glaucoma:Glaucoma is when the eye develops an unusually high pressure, where this pressure can damage the optic nerve and cause vision loss. Studies have shown that nearsighted people have a 2-3x greater risk at Glaucoma.
Detached Retina:Levels of myopia also have a correlation to detached retinas. A detached retina is when the retina pulls away from the eyes tissue, often resulting in permanent vision loss.

Children's Eyesight May Change, Less Often With Myopia Control

Because changes in your child’s vision can occur without you or your child noticing them, your child should visit the eye doctor every year or more frequently if specific problems or risk factors exist.

Myopia control attempts to reduce the number of changes that may occur in your child’s vision. With a successful myopia control program, an eye doctor can provide your child with amazing vision, track your child’s rate of myopia, and provide a clear road to healthy eyesight and a successful future.

Myopia Control Starts With You - The Parent

Your child’s eyes are his/her gateway into the world of learning. When your child’s vision is not functioning properly, learning and participation in recreational activities will suffer.

Children are not likely to recognize vision problems like myopia, and it is, therefore, the responsibility of parents and teachers to recognize signs of visual problems in their children.

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