ABOUT PATIENTS CONDITIONS DRY EYE CENTER MYOPIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES CONTACT Myopia Management Options At Handel Vision Clinic, we strive to help you manage myopia so that you or a loved one can see life clearly. We offer several management options for this common eye disorder, which can improve vision as well as slow the progression of myopia. Our doctors carefully monitor each patient as they progress through myopia management and each case is reviewed every 6-12 months to ensure progress and efficacy in treatment. We are proud to offer this evidence-based treatment that works to prevent the onset or reduce the progression of nearsightedness in our patients. Our dedicated team prides itself on staying at the forefront of eye care advancements so you can feel confident choosing us for your treatment. Corneal Molding Corneal molding is the process of fitting a specially designed contact lens that is to be worn while sleeping to temporarily reshape the front surface of the eye (the cornea). Similar to wearing a dental retainer from an orthodontist, the lens works overnight to gently and gradually reshape the cornea to help eliminate or reduce myopia. This provides clear vision upon awakening without having to wear glasses or contact lenses throughout the day! The process of corneal molding may also be referred to as orthokeratology, Ortho-K, Corneal Refractive Therapy, CRT, Gentle Molding, Vision Shaping Treatment, VST, The Gentle Vision Shaping System, GVVS, or Gentle Molding. Our doctors are part of an elite group who have been specially certified in designing and dispensing both the MOONLENS as well as Wave lenses. You may also hear corneal molding lenses be called Ortho-K lenses, retainer lenses, vision retainers, or CRT lenses. The visual effects of corneal molding are temporary as the lenses must be worn nightly to be effective. However, the long term benefit is that it has been proven to slow myopia progression in children, resulting in a lower prescription and reduced risk of certain ocular diseases in their lifetime. Corneal molding is also a great option for patients who would like to see clearly throughout the day without the assistance of glasses or contact lenses. For example, athletes, lifeguards, construction workers, and even patients with dry eyes or allergies can all greatly benefit from the freedom that comes with no daytime corrective wear. These lenses slow the progression of myopia by creating a peripheral myopic distortion on the retina. This is a fancy way of saying that it makes light focus in front of the retina instead of behind it, which is what occurs in traditional myopia therapy (standard glasses and contact lenses). Traditional myopia therapy (standard glasses and contacts): Peripheral myopic distortion: Several studies have shown the effectiveness of this type of treatment, including the CANDY study(Controlling Astigmatism and Nearsightedness in Developing Youth) which concluded that corneal molding “does both significantly reduce and even stop the rate of change of nearsightedness and astigmatism in developing youth (ages 9-18).” To learn more about myopia and the science behind myopia management, check out this video from Dr. Peter Wilcox, one of the optometrists behind the CANDY study: Common corneal molding questions Is it safe? Why have I never heard of this before? Does this work on all prescriptions? Can adults have this treatment? What if my child isn’t ready for contacts? What type of testing will be done? How long does it take to see results? What happens if we stop using the corneal molding lenses? What will happen if we don’t do any myopia management? How do I know if I (or my child) am a good candidate? Specialty soft contact lenses Another myopia management option involves the fitting of specialty soft contact lenses. This originally began by using soft multifocal lenses that have a certain design which creates the same type of peripheral myopic distortion that is created with corneal molding lenses. These lenses are still used as an off-label treatment for myopia management and children have been studied to show 25% less progression over two years than those in standard single vision lenses. In addition to these multifocal lenses, our doctors are also certified to fit Coopervision MiSight lenses. This daily lens is the first soft contact that has been FDA-approved for myopia control and has been proven to slow myopia progression in children ages 8 to 12 at an average rate of 60% over 3 years. These lenses work to simultaneously correct a child’s nearsighted prescription while also working to slow its progression. They must be worn throughout the day since they do not cause any type of eye reshaping like corneal molding lenses. Atropine eye drops A non-lens treatment option that is offered through our Myopia Management Center is a drop therapy called atropine. Atropine, at a very low concentration, is dropped into both eyes at nighttime. The mechanism by which atropine slows the progression of myopia is unknown. This drop concentration is low enough to not create any significant side effects yet strong enough to help reduce the progression of myopia by 50% over 5 years. Atropine can mildly dilate the pupil and relax the focusing mechanism inside of the eye. It is a great option for younger children or those who are not quite ready for contact lens wear. Since this method of treatment does not reshape the cornea, it still requires your child to wear their glasses throughout the day. To learn more about these treatment options and discuss which method is right for your child, call our office and ask to schedule an appointment with our Myopia Management team! CONTACT US Please use this form for general information purposes only. DO NOT send personal health information through this form. Specific patient care must be addressed during your appointment. Green Office Fairlawn Office Newton Falls Office Home About Patients Conditions Dry Eye Center Myopia Management Services Contact GREEN OFFICE FAIRLAWN OFFICE NEWTON FALLS OFFICE Handel Vision Clinic © 2021 Sitemap | Accessibility | Website by DOCTOR Multimedia