Risks of Myopia

There are several risks of Myopia if the disease isn’t monitored and managed.

• The higher your prescription, the more likely you are to have associated eye diseases such as retinal detachments, myopic macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts.
• Higher prescriptions create more dependency on glasses and contacts which can limit independence.
• Genetics increase the risk of developing myopia (a child has a 25% chance of developing myopia if one parent is myopic, and a 50% chance if both parents are).
• The length of the eye should be measured and monitored by your optometrist.

Myopia and the risks of Myopia aren’t going away. One of the keys to treating myopia is first recognizing that myopia is a disease and blurry vision at distance is merely a symptom. Glasses and contacts cure the symptom, but not the disease. Let me explain:

There was a time when we thought that the worst thing that could happen is a child would be dependent on glasses. That until they were able to get contacts, they may be self-conscious with their new eyewear.

I wish this were the case, however; the latest research has shown that the higher a child’s prescription, the longer the eye itself becomes, and as a result, there is an increased risk of sight-threatening complications. These include an increased risk of cataracts, retinal detachment, glaucoma, and myopic macular degeneration as they age. There is a direct correlation between how high their prescription is and the odds they develop one of these complications.

To see if you would be a good candidate for myopia management, call or contact us to schedule a FREE CONSULTATION.