Myopia Treatment with our Jacksonville Optometrist

Myopia is a common refractive error, which means the way light enters the eye is abnormal for some reason. Our Jacksonville optometrist team helps people of all ages manage this highly treatable condition.

Myopia: Causes & Symptoms

You’ve probably heard of myopia before as nearsightedness. A person with myopia can clearly see objects when they are close, but struggle to see things clearly when they are far away. They may also have eye strain and headaches, especially while driving or playing sports. Young children with undetected nearsightedness are sometimes misdiagnosed with learning or behavioral issues because they can’t see the board and understandably struggle to pay attention in class.

Why does this happen? Generally, either the eyeball is too long or the cornea or lens is too curved (or both). The end result is that the image of distant objects will focus at a spot in ahead of the back of the eye, instead of directly on it where the retina is.

Since many people are born with myopia, genetics are believed to play a role, although our modern day tendency to perform a lot of prolonged close vision tasks (such as computer and cell phone use) may be contributing to myopia’s rising prevalence.

How an Eye Doctor in Jacksonville FL Diagnoses & Treats Myopia

Myopia can worsen with age, though it often stabilizes in adulthood. Controlling and/or slowing the progress is important for reducing the risk of severe nearsightedness and more rare but related issues such as early cataracts and detached retinas. Not to mention, of course, that not being able to see clearly when looking at distant objects can be frustrating and potentially dangerous!

At Val-Uvision, an eye doctor in Jacksonville FL can diagnose you or your loved one with myopia on a standard eye exam. He or she will test your eyesight and also look at the internal and external surface of your eyes to confirm a diagnosis. Once a diagnosis has been made, a variety of myopia control treatment methods can be made available to you, depending on your needs. Treatments may include:

• Prescription multi-focal eyeglasses or contact lenses, to correct the refraction angle of light in your eyes
• Orthokeratology, which are specialized contact lenses worn at night to temporarily reshape the cornea and allow for corrected daytime vision without the need for eyewear
• Pre- and post-operative care for people who choose to undergo LASIK eye surgery, a laser-assisted type of refractive surgery

Visit Our Jacksonville Optometrist

Are you nearsighted? Contact our optometry clinic in Jacksonville FL at 904-730-2299 for customized treatment and start seeing a better future today. We have two convenient locations to meet your needs!