Myopia or nearsightedness is the most common refractive error in the world. Signs of myopia can manifest as early as during the pre-teen years, and blurred distance vision can certainly take the fun out of childhood. Orthokeratology can help you win the battle against vision problems.

Imagine. It’s Fourth of July and your child is out on the streets, watching the fireworks with the other neighborhood kids. You notice she’s squinting. It’s clearly uncomfortable for her. She loses interest and just goes back inside, missing out on all the fun with her family and peers.

Initially, it may seem like a non-issue, but it may actually be myopia or nearsightedness.

Vision resource website All About Vision notes that myopia is the most common refractive error of the eye, and it has only become more prevalent in the past couple of years. It’s called nearsightedness because myopic people tend to see close objects clearly but not distant objects. This happens when the eyeball is too elongated or the cornea is too curved, thus preventing the eye from focusing clearly (click here for our definitive guide to myopia).

Myopia causes include inheriting this vision problem from parents, according to experts. It also doesn’t help that kids today are over-exposed to gadgets and have literally too much screen time on their hands, discouraging them from going outside and reaping the benefits of natural light for eye care, thereby adding to the causes of myopia.

If your child squints while watching TV, has trouble reading the school bus number from afar, or reads too close to her face, she’s exhibiting myopia symptoms and you should visit the eye doctor ASAP.

Aside from eye glasses and contact lenses, make sure to ask your doctor about Orthokeratology or Vision Improvement Therapy (VIT).

Orthokeratology is also known as corneal refractive therapy. It is a non-surgical and reversible procedure which involves wearing of custom designed gas permeable overnight corrective lens that gently shape the cornea as your child sleeps. When your child wakes up in the morning, she will see a lot more clearly, enough that she won’t need glasses or lenses for the rest of the day.

If your child is physically active or is allergic to soft contact lenses, Vision Improvement Therapy (VIT) may be a perfect fit. http://ctt.ec/2Prjs+ @Invisalens

Of course, it’s not a one-time miraculous process. Vision Improvement Therapy (VIT) involves careful assessment with a certified professional and regular consultations to monitor progress based on the goal and the initial status of your children’s vision.

As a parent, you’re probably wondering: Why should I choose orthokeratology to treat myopia over other treatment options?

Australian eye care resource site Eye Care Kids shares the following benefits:

• No need to worry about losing or breaking glasses or contact lenses that may be irritating or challenging to put on and remove
• No glasses means less worries (or self-consciousness) for the child, and consequently higher self-confidence and more positive attitude
• May slow down the progression of myopia

A well-known brand available in the U.S. is Invisalens, developed by Arizona’s Vision chief eye care specialist and one of the state’s most trusted eye professionals Dr. Mark Page. Invisalens’ custom designed retainers are a product of Dr. Page’s personal advocacy to fight myopia and decades-long research and collaboration with industry experts. As Vision Improvement Therapy (VIT) should be, Invisalens has been proven effective and safe (Vision Improvement Therapy (VIT) has been FDA-approved since 2003) for kids because it is reversible, non-invasive, and relatively painless.

If your child is myopic, it’s not just Fourth of July festivities that she is missing out on. Physical activities, like swimming, running, or hiking, tend to be doubly challenging for nearsighted children, and these limitations have far-reaching consequences on your child’s life. Thankfully, modern medical technology has now made it easier for parents to help their kids manage, and even fight, myopia symptoms.