Why Screening Kids for Myopia at Treehouse Eyes Matters

0
This article is written in partnership with Treehouse Eyes.

With virtual school this entire past year our children have been on screens way more than I like to admit! And as we all know, screens can damage the health of our eyes.

I took my 10-year-old son, Cormac, to Treehouse Eyes to have his eyes checked for myopia. I plan to take my 7-year-old and 4-year-old soon too!


What is Myopia?

Myopia is a disease caused by an eye growing too long, and it makes faraway objects appear blurry. And cases of myopia, particularly in children, are on the rise, partially due to the major increase screen usage this past year.

Doctors have noticed that younger children are becoming more affected. For example, the average age of kids in the DC area currently being treated for myopia is 7 to 10, compared to 8 to 12 in previous years. 

They’ve also noticed a major increase in worsening eyesight. 40-50% of these children are diagnosed with a higher prescription (higher myopia) than in the past. 

Luckily, it’s not all bad news – myopia is treatable. The science has come a long way and there are now lots of strategies to treat, and even help prevent, myopia in children.


Free Myopia Screening at Treehouse Eyes

Getting an appointment at Treehouse Eyes is easy. Plus a consultation and screening for myopia is totally FREE! That’s right, totally free to get your child’s eyes checked for myopia. So, if you are concerned about myopia in your children, give them a call ASAP.

There are several locations to choose from in the DC area. Once you make your appointment, they will email paperwork for you to fill out.

Right when we walked into Treehouse Eyes, we were impressed and glad we came. The staff was helpful and knowledgeable, the waiting area was spacious and clean, and the optometrist was amazing!

A Visit and Test with the Optometrist

The Optometrist started our appointment by asking us a few questions about our son’s eyesight and our family history with vision. Then she explained that she would test Cormac’s vision with the six machines we saw in the room. Cormac was excited!

We did not get his eyes dilated, but that is an option too. As a Star Wars fan, he commented he felt like he was being tested for a mission in a fun way and he loved it.

When the testing began, the Optometrist was knowledgeable and gave simple and gentle directions to Cormac. The physical testing room was fun to be in and it looked like we were in an actual treehouse.

During his testing, which took seconds per machine, he had to stay still and look at certain objects and repeat what he saw. He truly had fun!

It turns out, Cormac does not have myopia and has great eye health. She recommended we visit an Optometrist to test his eyesight annually.

We are grateful we took the time to check for Myopia and honestly enjoyed the experience. The specialized screening didn’t take long and gave us total peace of mind!


Myopia Care at Treehouse Eyes

Treehouse Eyes specializes in myopia care, prevention, and treatment. It is the first healthcare practice dedicated exclusively to treating myopic children.

The science of eye health has come along way, and there are ways we can actually prevent poor eyesight in our children and leading to adulthood. Myopia can be treated in three ways to help slow the growth of the eyeball: contact lenses, eyedrops, or glasses.

Children using the Treehouse Vision System ® (their treatment protocol), show a 78% decrease in the progression of their myopia. The treatment plan is non-surgical.

If treatment is needed, Treehouse Eyes does not accept insurance, so please keep that in mind.

When it comes to myopia, early treatment matters! The way we care for our children’s eyes early on will affect them later in life tremendously.

Preventing or seriously slowing down myopia helps prevent the process of eye disease. In fact, Treehouse Eyes does not accept patients over age 18 simply because preventing myopia can’t happen after the eye stops growing.

Honestly, it never hurts to simply call and make an appointment to check your children for myopia. Remember the actual consultation and assessment is totally free, which is amazing.

Previous articleOur Favorite Playgrounds in the DMV
Next article14 Really Cool Local Places to Fulfill Your Pinball Passion in the DMV Area
Courtney Whittington
Courtney was born and raised in Louisiana where she met her husband (married in 2005). They have moved several times, but finally feel very settled in NW DC after moving back in 2016. She has four energetic kids: Cormac (2010), Evangeline (2013), Solomon (2016), and Antoinette (2019). She thinks motherhood is absolutely wonderful, but is constantly trying to figure out how to manage it all. She spends her days talking Star Wars, playing with legos, doing crafts, having tea parties, and chasing her toddler. Motherhood is wonderful and wild and in 2017 she banded together with other mothers to start DC Area Moms to inspire, learn, and grow together. She loves morning coffee, chocolate, chatting with people since she's an extrovert, a clean house (which is rare these days). She dislikes when her kids don't listen the first time, she abhors littering, and doesn't enjoy shopping.