Myopia Management

What is myopia management?

Myopia management, or management of nearsightedness, is vision correction that reduces blurriness when looking at objects from a distance. Myopia can occur during childhood or adolescence and worsen over time. Treatment includes wearing glasses or contact lenses or undergoing refractive eye surgery.

What are the symptoms of nearsightedness?

If you have myopia, you may notice the following symptoms:

• Squinting

• Difficulty seeing far-away objects

• Blurry vision

• Headaches

• Eyestrain

• Difficulty seeing while driving

• Poor night vision

• Excessive blinking

• Frequent eye rubbing

If you have nearsightedness, you might have to sit close to a television or movie screen or sit in the front of the classroom at school.

What are the risk factors for myopia?

While anyone can develop nearsightedness, this condition tends to run in families. If you have nearsighted parents, your chance of developing it increases. Your risk may also go up with a lack of time spent outdoors.

How does my eye doctor diagnose nearsightedness?

To determine if you’re nearsighted, your Alamo Eye Care specialist reviews your symptoms and eye health history. Then, they complete a basic eye exam and dilate your pupils to get an in-depth view of your eyes.

Vision testing includes refraction assessments that allow you to look through various corrective lenses. The test allows your eye doctor to determine your vision prescription. You also read numbers and letters on an eye chart from a distance.

What should I expect during myopia management?

Once your eye doctor determines your vision prescription, they treat nearsightedness using one of the following myopia management solutions:

Myopia Management Treatment Options

1. Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) – Custom rigid gas-permeable lenses worn overnight to temporarily reshape the cornea and reduce myopia progression.

2. Atropine Eye Drops – Low-dose atropine (0.01%–0.05%) to slow myopia progression by relaxing the eye's focusing mechanism.

3. Multifocal Contact Lenses – Specially designed soft contact lenses that reduce myopia progression while correcting vision.

4. Multifocal Eyeglasses – Glasses with different focusing zones to help control myopia progression.

5. Lifestyle Modifications – Increased outdoor time and reduced near work (screen time, reading) to slow myopia progression.

If you struggle to see clearly from afar because of nearsightedness, call the Alamo Eye Care office or schedule an appointment online today.