Myopia Management in Salt Lake City, Utah
Helping kids see clearly and reducing their risk of serious eye diseases.
When the classroom board gets blurrier, or your child’s prescription keeps getting stronger, another pair of eyeglasses may not address the bigger question: What can you do to help manage their myopia as they grow?
At Broadway Eye Clinic, our Treehouse Eyes® provider offers myopia management in Salt Lake City, UT, for children with nearsightedness. We look beyond simply updating a stronger prescription. By monitoring your child’s vision and eye growth, we can recommend an individualized approach that may help slow myopia progression over time.
What Is Myopia, and Why Can It Get Worse?
Myopia, or nearsightedness, makes objects in the distance look blurry while closer objects are usually easier to see. It often develops during childhood and can progress while the eyes are still growing.
Regular eyeglasses correct blurry distance vision. Management for children has a different goal: slowing the progression of nearsightedness rather than only correcting the prescription.
As nearsightedness becomes more severe, long-term eye health risks can also increase. Starting management while a child’s eyes are still growing gives their doctor an opportunity to monitor those changes and recommend treatment when appropriate.
Our myopia treatment options include MiSight® 1 day contact lenses, custom soft contact lenses, ortho-k, low-dose atropine eye drops, and Stellest® lenses.
How Can You Tell if Your Child Is Becoming Nearsighted?
Children do not always realize their distance vision has changed. Parents and teachers may notice the signs first.
Signs of myopia in children can include:
- Squinting to see objects in the distance
- Moving closer to the TV, screens, or classroom board
- Having trouble seeing clearly during school, sports, or play
- Frequently rubbing their eyes or complaining of headaches
These signs do not confirm nearsightedness on their own. An eye exam can show whether your child has nearsightedness and whether you should consider myopia management.
Which Myopia Treatment Is Right for Your Child?
No single myopia treatment fits every child. Your child’s myopia doctor will consider their prescription, eye measurements, age, eye health, and daily routine before recommending an approach.
Could Ortho-K Be an Option for Your Child?
With ortho-k, your child wears specially designed gas-permeable contact lenses while sleeping. The lenses temporarily reshape the front surface of the eye, allowing many wearers to see more clearly during the day without their usual daytime vision correction.
When prescribed for myopia management, ortho-k may also help slow progression. Proper fitting, careful lens care, and regular follow-up visits are important for healthy wear.
When Is Low-Dose Atropine Considered?
Low-dose atropine is a prescription eye drop that doctors may prescribe off-label to help slow myopia progression in some children. Your child’s doctor will determine whether it is appropriate and explain how the drops fit into the treatment and follow-up plan.
What About Custom Soft Contact Lenses?
Specialized soft contact lenses can provide another option for some children with myopia. Your child’s prescription, eye measurements, comfort, and ability to care for contact lenses all help determine whether a custom lens design is appropriate.
MiSight® 1 Day Contact Lenses for Children in Salt Lake City
MiSight® 1 day lenses are soft, daily disposable contact lenses designed for children with myopia. They correct blurry distance vision while using a specialized optical design intended to help slow myopia progression.
MiSight® 1 day is FDA-approved to correct nearsightedness and slow myopia progression in eligible children who are ages 8 to 12 when treatment begins. Your child wears each pair for one day and then discards it, so you don’t need to clean or store lenses overnight.
A myopia evaluation can determine whether MiSight® 1 day is appropriate for your child based on their prescription, eye health, measurements, and readiness for contact lenses.
Stellest® Specialty Lenses for Children
For children who prefer eyeglasses, Stellest® lenses provide another option for myopia management. These specialized eyeglass lenses correct nearsightedness while using a lenslet design intended to help slow myopia progression.
Because children wear them much like regular eyeglasses, Stellest® lenses may be an option for children who are not ready for contact lenses or for families who prefer an eyeglass-based approach.
Your child’s myopia doctor can determine whether Stellest® lenses are appropriate based on their prescription, eye development, and overall management plan.
How Does Your Myopia Doctor Track Eye Growth?
An eyeglasses prescription tells us how much correction your child needs to see clearly. It does not tell the whole story of how the eye is growing.
At our Salt Lake City location, axial length measurement gives the doctor another way to monitor that growth. Axial length measures the eye from front to back. Comparing this measurement over time, along with prescription and eye health findings, helps the doctor follow changes as your child grows.
Regular monitoring also helps the eye doctor decide whether to keep the current management plan or adjust it.
At our Treehouse Eyes® provider, parents receive clear explanations of what the measurements mean and why we may recommend a particular treatment.
When Should Myopia Management Start?
No single starting age is right for every child. If your child has myopia, especially if their prescription is changing, you can ask about management now instead of waiting for several more prescription increases.
Consider talking with a myopia doctor if:
- Your child has been diagnosed with nearsightedness
- Their prescription continues to change
- One or both parents are nearsighted
- You have noticed signs of blurry distance vision
- You want to understand options beyond standard eyeglasses
A myopia evaluation helps the doctor assess your child’s vision, eye growth, risk factors, and treatment options.
Is My Child at Risk of Myopia?
Family history, changes in distance vision, and a changing prescription can all be reasons to ask more questions about myopia. Our online risk assessment can help you identify factors to discuss with your child’s eye care provider.
Serving the Salt Lake City Community
Broadway Eye Clinic provides myopia management and pediatric eye care for families in Salt Lake City and nearby communities, including Millcreek, Holladay, and South Salt Lake.
Have Questions About Your Child’s Myopia?
You do not need to have the treatment figured out before you come in. If your child has nearsightedness or their prescription keeps changing, a consultation can help you understand what is happening and choose appropriate myopia management options.
Visit our Treehouse Eyes® provider at Broadway Eye Clinic for myopia management in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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