Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is a common vision condition that can begin during childhood and progress as the eyes continue to grow. Children with myopia typically see nearby objects clearly but have difficulty seeing things farther away, such as the classroom board, road signs, or a ball across a field.

At Dr. Steven Lutz & Associates, we provide personalized myopia control in Ann Arbor, MI to help manage nearsightedness and slow its progression. Rather than simply updating your child's glasses prescription as their vision changes, myopia management focuses on addressing how quickly the condition progresses.

Why Managing Myopia Early Is Important

Myopia often becomes stronger throughout childhood and the teenage years. As the prescription increases, the eye generally becomes longer. Higher levels of myopia are associated with an increased risk of certain eye health problems later in life.

Early evaluation gives us an opportunity to monitor changes and determine whether myopia control may be appropriate. Regular eye exams are especially important if your child's prescription seems to be getting stronger from year to year.

Signs that may indicate your child needs a myopia evaluation include:

Squinting to see objects in the distance
Sitting close to the television or classroom board
Frequent changes in glasses prescriptions
Complaints of blurry distance vision
Difficulty recognizing people or objects from across a room
A family history of progressive myopia

Myopia Control Options

There is no single approach that is right for every child. At our office, we evaluate your child's prescription, eye health, age, lifestyle, and rate of progression before recommending a personalized plan. Our myopia management options may include Ortho-K or CRT lenses, MiSight contact lenses, Stellest spectacle lenses and atropine eye drops.

Ortho-K and CRT lenses are specially designed rigid contact lenses worn overnight. They temporarily reshape the cornea while your child sleeps, allowing many patients to see clearly during the day without glasses or daytime contact lenses. They can also be used as part of a myopia control program.

MiSight 1 day contact lenses are daily disposable soft contact lenses designed for children with myopia. Stellest lenses provide another option for children who prefer to wear eyeglasses. Atropine eye drops may also be recommended when appropriate and can be used as part of an individualized myopia management strategy.

Choosing the Right Myopia Management Plan

The best form of myopia control depends on your child's individual needs. During an evaluation, we assess vision and eye health while reviewing how the prescription has changed over time.

Follow-up visits are also an important part of myopia management. These appointments allow us to monitor your child's vision, evaluate how well treatment is working, and make adjustments when needed as the eyes continue to develop.

If your child is showing signs of nearsightedness or has already been diagnosed with myopia, schedule an evaluation with our office to discuss personalized myopia management.

Dr. Steven Lutz & Associates
1565 Eastover Pl
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Phone: (734) 769-2909