Nearsightedness (myopia) affects nearly 20% of children. Most often detected when entering school, this visual disorder progresses significantly between the ages of 7 and 12 years. Its management involves wearing optical equipment (glasses + lenses) but also through a change in lifestyle.
Here are some useful tips to slow down myopia from JLR Eye Hospital .
What is an Ophthalmologist?
An ophthalmologist is a clinical or osteopathic expert who has a few ability in eye and vision care. Ophthalmologists shift from optometrists and opticians in their levels of getting ready and in what they can dissect and treat.
Whenever it’s an optimal chance to have your eyes taken a gander at, guarantee you are seeing the right eye care capable for your necessities. Each person from the eye care bunch accepts a huge part in giving eye care, but numerous people frustrate the different providers and their positions in staying aware of your eye prosperity. The levels of planning and expertise and how they are allowed to help you-are the huge differentiation between the sorts of eye care provider.
Appointments with the ophthalmologist
Throughout childhood, the attending physician, pediatrician, and parents are attentive to the appearance of a possible visual disturbance such as myopia. The doctor refers to an ophthalmologist if he detects the slightest abnormality.
The first appointment with the ophthalmologist
Usually, the first ophthalmologist appointment is most often recommended by the attending physician or pediatrician who has detected signs of myopia.
During the first appointment, the ophthalmologist questions the child and the parents in order to find out whether there is a possible family history of eye disorders and to obtain details of the symptoms.
The ophthalmologist then examines the child:
- control of visual acuity;
- eye examinations;
- measurement of intraocular pressure;
- fundus examination;
- eye examination, etc.
At the end of the appointment, the ophthalmologist presents his conclusions: he explains to the parents and the child the issues and the proposed method of correction.
Myopia monitoring
The earlier myopia appears, the more it can evolve. The nearsighted child must therefore be monitored regularly by an ophthalmologist.
If myopia evolves quickly, that is to say, that the visual acuity of the child decreases, the ophthalmologist can then propose solutions that make it possible to slow down this evolution. Today there are distinct kinds of glasses and lenses that are specific as well as effective from an early age.
Indeed, there are other solutions such as wearing contact lenses or orthokeratology. This technique involves wearing rigid lenses at night which will change the shape of the cornea. These lenses are removed in the morning, the sight is then perfect throughout the day but the cornea will slowly return to its original shape. Studies have shown that this method significantly slows the lengthening of the eye and the progression of myopia.
Eye checks
Check-ups are generally carried out during childhood and adolescence:
- Around 2 years of age, a check-up makes it possible in particular to detect at an early stage any visual problems that would not have been detected earlier and to correct possible amblyopia (Generally, it is still too early to detect myopia.);
- Up to 18 years: it is important to have a visual examination every two or three years, knowing that most myopia occurs at school or student age. In the event of myopia, the child subsequently maintains regular monitoring with the ophthalmologist.
Corrective glasses or contact lenses: what to choose?
The different solutions
One of the ways to manage myopia is to wear corrective lenses. A corrective lens is an optical lens worn in front of the eye, to correct various visual disorders (including myopia). There are two types of corrective lens devices.
Prescription glasses
Classically, myopia is corrected by the single vision and concave lenses. Myopia lenses are thicker at the edge than the center. However, with conventional single vision lenses, if the central image is well positioned on the retina, in the peripheral zone, the image is located behind the retina. The eye will then elongate to reimburse for the induced blur. The reason why a new variety of lenses with specific geometry provide myopic defocusing. This will bring the peripheral images in front of the retina and slow down the lengthening of the eye. These lenses reduce the progression of myopia while ensuring clear vision.
Contact lenses
For correcting the vision defects, very thin and concave contact lenses are put on the eye. They are suitable in the case of myopia. Most lenses are worn all day and removed in the evening at bedtime. There are some new generation soft lenses that not only provide optical correction but also a treatment that results into myopic defocus. Such types of lens can slow down the progression of myopia as well as the elongation of the eye.
In some cases, and by the decision of the ophthalmologist, it is possible to equip children and even infants with contact lenses. Indeed, these have the advantage of ensuring the development of the child in the case of strong corrections, without the need for thick glasses. In addition, the added benefit of being a child is that lenses do not break or get lost, unlike normal glasses.
Please note: strict hygiene is compulsory!
Only the ophthalmologist is empowered to decide on the most suitable treatment after examining the child. He sets out his conclusions on a prescription that is sent by the parents to the optician when the equipment is purchased. The ophthalmologist takes into account the type and severity of myopia but also his interactions with the child and his parents.
optometrist vs ophthalmologist – What’s the Difference?
Accepting you’ve anytime expected to search for an eye care trained professional, you’re plausible careful that there are a couple of unmistakable kinds of eye well-informed authorities. Optometrists, ophthalmologists, and opticians are for the most part specialists who have useful involvement with eye care.
An optometrist is an eye expert that can break down, examine, and treat your eyes. An ophthalmologist is a clinical expert who can perform clinical and cautious mediations for eye conditions. An optician is a specialist who can help with fitting eyeglasses, contact central focuses, and other vision-curing devices.
In this article, we will examine the tutoring necessities, pay, degree of preparing, and organizations that optometrists, ophthalmologists, and opticians give. We will in like manner inspect how to pick the best eye-care capable for your prerequisites.
What role for the optician?
Equipping the child with glasses requires close collaboration between the ophthalmologist, the parents, and the optician. The latter takes into account the morphological and behavioral peculiarities of the child.
Glasses intended for young children must take into account their morphological peculiarities and take into account the shape and proportions of the face. The optician recommends:
- Choose a frame with a low bridge or a non-slip silicone nose ;
- Opt for a very high frame shape, which covers the entire field of vision, because children, especially small ones, are forced to look up;
- Favor plastic frames, with flexible temples and flexible hinges (more resistant and comfortable);
- Equip the glasses with a retaining cord or a flat elastic to prevent them from falling;
- Select a special kind of frame that does not cause any friction on the ears and nose in order to make sure about perfect stability and respect the delicate skin of the child.
On the occasion of each passage of the child in the store, the optician also checks the fit of the frame and checks the settings.
For children, the optician recommends organic lenses or polycarbonate lenses, light and impact resistant. Depending on the age of the child, the optician may offer an anti-scratch, anti-reflective or anti-blue light treatment.
The optician must also pay attention to the child’s behavior: is he calm or active? Listening to his parents? Does he accept his visual defect? etc.
After handing over the equipment, the optician asks the parents to pay particular attention in the following weeks to any change in the child’s behavior. They are then invited to return to the store.