Treatments for Nearsightedness

At North County Laser Eye Associates, we offer a complete range of treatment options for patients that suffer from nearsightedness (myopia). Nearsightedness is a condition in which the cornea is overly steep, causing light to focus in front of the retina, instead of directly on it. This causes blurry vision when viewing distant objects, such as road signs, overhead projectors, and the television. Fortunately, there are many safe and effective treatment options for nearsightedness. Dr. Paul H. Chen offers the non-surgical options of glasses and contact lenses, as well as laser vision correction surgery in the form of LASIK and ASA. To find out which treatments for nearsightedness are right for you, contact our San Diego, CA practice today.

Glasses

Glasses are the most time-tested and popular vision correction option for nearsightedness. Dr. Chen offers state-of-the-art glasses, which are a great improvement over the eyeglasses of the past. Free-form custom glasses, also known as digital high-definition, or HD, lenses correct lower and higher order aberrations. Like the glasses used in previous generations, free-form custom glasses correct the lower order aberration nearsightedness. In addition, they correct the higher order aberrations that affect the quality of your vision. Higher order aberrations cause problems like glare, starbursts, and poor night vision.

Dr. Chen’s optical services include frames in stylish, name brands, and the lenses can be customized with specialized coatings, including:

• Transitions photochromic tints: These tints respond and adjust to the amount of light to which they are exposed. When you are outside, the lenses automatically darken, protecting your eyes from harmful UV rays.
• Teflon Clear Coat Anti-reflective lenses: This coating eliminates lens reflection, providing you with clearer vision.
• Polarized lenses: Polarized lenses reduce glare, improving visibility and clarity.

Contact Lenses

It can be difficult to find the right contact lens product that suits your lifestyle and needs. At North County Laser Eye Associates, we can discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the following contact lenses:

• SynergEyes Duette hybrid contact lens: This lens option offers improved comfort and increased protection from the suns UV rays.
• Soft lenses: Soft contact lenses are comfortable and stay in place. However, they are not as durable and need to be replaced more often, making them a more costly option.
• RGP lenses: These lenses may reduce the progression of nearsightedness in younger patients. They are durable, but are less comfortable and do not stay in place as well as soft lenses.
• Daily disposables: These lenses reduce the risk of infection and require less maintenance. However, they are more costly due to the need for replacement lenses.
• Colored lenses: Colored contact lenses change or enhance the color of the iris.

Laser Vision Correction

Laser vision correction surgery permanently changes the shape of the cornea to produce clear vision in nearsighted patients. Patients can undergo LASIK or ASA at Dr. Chens practice. These procedures both involve reshaping of the stromal layer of the cornea with an excimer laser. The difference is in how the stroma is accessed. In ASA, the outer layer of the cornea, the epithelium, is removed. In LASIK, incisions are created to produce an epithelial flap, which is opened during corneal reshaping and closed after treatment. The LASIK technique results in less post-surgical discomfort and a faster healing time. However, it requires a thicker and healthier cornea, which precludes some patients from being a good candidate for the procedure.

To find out which treatment is right for you, contact North County Laser Eye Associates today.