Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common vision problem that causes distant objects to appear blurry while close-up objects remain clear. While it may seem like a minor issue at first, myopia can lead to serious long-term risks for your child’s vision. Even low and moderate myopia can impact your child’s eye health if left untreated. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the conditions myopia can lead to later in life and why myopia management is crucial to protecting your child’s future vision.
Long-term health concerns for untreated myopia
Children with untreated myopia are at greater risk of serious eye conditions and diseases such as:
- Cataracts: Cataracts occur when the lens of your eye gets cloudy, leading to blurry and distorted vision. Anyone can develop cataracts as a natural part of aging, but people with moderate to high myopia are five times more likely to develop cataracts at an earlier age.
- Macular degeneration: Myopia has been linked to a higher risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss in adults over 50. This condition affects the central part of the retina (the macula), causing blurry vision in the center of the visual field.
- Glaucoma: Myopia, and especially high myopia, increases your child’s risk of developing glaucoma, a condition that damages the optic nerve and can lead to severe vision loss if left untreated.
- Retinal detachment: People with high levels of myopia are more susceptible to retinal detachment, a serious condition where the retina pulls away from its normal position. This can lead to permanent vision loss if not promptly treated.
Managing myopia in children
With the right interventions and treatments, myopia can be managed effectively to prevent it from worsening over time. At True Focus Eye Care, we offer innovative treatments such as special contact lenses for myopia management that are effective in slowing down myopia progression in children. These treatment options provide kids with better vision now and protect their vision in the future. By starting myopia management at a young age, you can help your child maintain healthy vision and reduce their risk of developing more serious eye conditions later in life.
The sooner your child receives treatment for their myopia, the better chance they have of preventing it from progressing further. Don’t wait until your child’s myopia worsens! Schedule an appointment with us today to learn more about our innovative myopia management services in Port Richey, Florida!