Myopia Management in San Mateo, San Jose, San Ramon, & Juneau

Book Appointment

What is
Myopia?

Myopia (or nearsightedness) is one of the world’s most common vision problems. The effect of this condition makes objects further away from you seem blurry and out of focus. It is estimated that nearly 50% of the world’s population will by myopic by 2050. Myopia occurs due to the shape of your eye incorrectly refracting light so it focuses before it reaches your retina instead of focusing directly on the retina. 

Myopia can be difficult to identify in children at a young age, as many children don’t know what the difference is between clear and blurry vision. Early intervention is the best way to manage Myopia. At Optical Illusions, we specialize in pediatric eye care and can help diagnose children with myopia

Prescriptions may change year after year during adolescence, with the outlook seeming worse off as we continue to age. However, there are effective treatments for this issue; it all just depends on finding the right treatment for each individual case.

Childhood Myopia

Myopia can develop early on in one’s life, and it can be difficult for parents to recognize if their child is currently dealing with myopia. As a parent, it is important to remain vigilant when looking for signs that your child has myopia, such as squinting or having to sit up close to the television or computer screen to see clearly.

Some studies have shown that parents may be able to help slow the development of your child’s myopia by limiting screen time. As the use of digital screens continues to rise, it is important to remind your child to take breaks from using digital devices.

If you believe your child has myopia, it’s important to address it as early as possible. At Optical Illusions we offer extensive pediatric eye exams; if you are curious about what we can do to help slow the progression of your child’s myopia, don’t hesitate to contact us.

There are ways to tell if you’re experiencing symptoms of myopia, even if you have never been formally diagnosed. The most distinct problem you will be able to recognize is that distant objects will seem out of focus or blurry.

Some other telltale signs that you are nearsighted are:

  • You find yourself frequently squinting to see distant objects
  • You experience headaches when looking at distant objects
  • You need to sit closer to your television, computer, or theatre screens to see better
  • Needing to blink a lot
  • Needing to rub your eyes frequently

Unfortunately, myopia has become increasingly common around the world, and much research has been done on the best ways to correct and control the issue.

Your glasses prescription does not always match the length of your eye (axial length). Eye length is the only way we can truly measure changes in myopia. Our offices utilize the Pentacam AXL Wave, the most advanced tomographer camera for the front surface of the eye to measure corneal curvature, map the front surface of the eye, and measure axial length of the eye, all in one scan.

Types of
Myopia Management

Myopia may be common, but there are many treatment options available to help manage it. If your child is currently struggling with myopia, we’ll recommend various different management techniques and prescriptions to slow down its progression spending on their specific needs, including:

Orthokeratology (ortho-k) contact lenses are specially designed to temporarily reshape the cornea with customized retainers worn nightly. Upon removal in the morning, myopia is corrected and vision is crystal clear, which lasts throughout the day. It is a great option for those looking to have the
most flexibility from glasses and contact lenses. These lenses must be worn each night to retain vision quality.

We utilize Wave Orthokeratology and
Paragon CRT, each of which are compatible with the Pentacam AXL Wave.

As your child’s eyes grow longer, light may surpass the boundaries of their peripheral retina and create hyperopic defocus in that area, causing an elongation of the eyeball. We offer specialty soft contact lenses like MiSight, the only FDA-approved soft contact lens option on the market to manage myopia utilizing dual focus treatment zones to pull light in front of the peripheral retina, creating peripheral defocus and slowing the progression of myopia.

Low-dose atropine eyedrops are used for managing myopia. These nightly use prescription eye drops mildly dilate the pupils and temporarily paralyzes the focusing muscle inside the eye, relaxing the eye’s focusing mechanisms. Research suggests that this helps slow this growth and reduce the rate of developing myopia.

Currently there are no available glasses options for the management of myopia in the United States. We partner with industry leaders like the Essilor who will be releasing their Stellest lenses in the near future.

Myopia Can Effect More Than Just
Your Eyes

Myopia can affect your child’s ability to perform well in school, sports, and other activities that require clear vision. Effective management of myopia will ease the burden that is put on performing daily tasks caused by the condition. 

If you believe that your child is currently experiencing myopia, please contact Optical Illusions to schedule a pediatric eye exam—this is the best first step to take when getting treatment for their condition.

Our Locations

San Mateo

  • 194 Hillsdale Shopping Center
  • San Mateo, CA 94403

San Jose

  • 377 Santana Row, Suite #1115
  • San Jose, CA 95128

San Ramon

  • 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, Suite #1104
  • San Ramon, CA 94583

Juneau

  • 9309 Glacier Hwy, Suite A103
  • Juneau, AK 99801

Complete
Family Eye Exams

An eye exam is an essential part of preventive health care. At Optical Illusions, we invest in industry-leading diagnostic technology that gives us an unprecedented view of your eye health and vision.

With this technology, we can provide truly personalized and comprehensive eye care to patients of all ages.

Access high-quality eye care from a team that genuinely cares.

Our Reviews

5 Star Experience

Our Testimonials

instagram facebook facebook2 pinterest twitter google-plus google linkedin2 yelp youtube phone location calendar share2 link star-full star star-half chevron-right chevron-left chevron-down chevron-up envelope fax