Did you know that 30% of the population in the United States is nearsighted? Also called myopia, this vision issue is one that can affect people from an early age, or it can develop later in life due to diabetes or excessive screen use.
If you find yourself unable to see things at a distance clearly, there is some good news — there are several effective treatment options. Here at Vision and Ortho-K Center, Dr. Curtis Frank and our team offer a wide range of vision correction solutions to help you see the world more clearly.
There are different ways in which myopia can manifest itself. For example, you may only encounter difficulty seeing things at a distance at night, when the light is low. Or, your difficulty with distance vision is more of a constant struggle and everything is blurry from afar.
However your nearsightedness is showing up, we want to get a better handle on the situation. The first step is to come see us for a comprehensive eye exam, during which we run field vision tests to determine the extent of your myopia.
During the exam, we also check the shape of your eye because more often than not, nearsightedness stems from an astigmatism — the shape of your corneas doesn’t allow for proper focus.
Once we determine the extent of your myopia, we provide you with a list of treatment options that help snap everything into focus.
As we mentioned, there are several ways we can help clients see more clearly at a distance, including:
The easiest solutions for nearsightedness are either eye glasses or contact lenses that correct your vision. Choosing between these options often comes down to comfort and lifestyle. For example, if your myopia is minor and you only really need vision correction for driving, perhaps glasses are a good solution.
If you need heavier correction throughout the day, contact lenses may be a better solution, but only if you feel comfortable wearing them.
At our practice, we specialize in a unique approach to myopia by providing you with contact lenses to wear at night to reshape your corneas. In the morning, you remove the hard, gas-permeable ortho-K lenses and the surfaces of your eyes retain the correct shape throughout the day, allowing you to see clearly.
If you’re looking for an approach that allows you to ditch glasses and lenses altogether, you might consider LASIK surgery. With this technique, your cornea is reshaped using laser energy so your eye focuses better, allowing you to see at a distance.
LASIK offers success rates above 98%, and an estimated 20 to 25 million procedures were performed since its approval by the FDA in 1999. In other words, LASIK is tried and true.
As you can see, we certainly don’t lack for options for your nearsightedness. To get on the road to better distance vision, your first step is to schedule an appointment at one of our offices in Boston or Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts.
