Myopia Control | Canmore Family Eyecare

What Is Myopia Control?

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a condition that causes distant objects to appear blurry. Its global rates are rising, projected to affect 50% of the world by 2050.

Myopia control slows the progression of childhood myopia using specialized contact lenses, glasses, or medicated eye drops. That means you’ll see less frequent changes to your child’s glasses prescription and a lower prescription overall than without intervention. Single vision lenses alone can correct vision, but don’t slow myopia progression.

Book an eye exam to discuss if your child needs myopia control.

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What are the Risks of High Myopia?

High myopia (any prescription greater than -6.00 Diopters) is an irreversible and life-long condition. Children with high myopia struggle greatly to see without vision correction. Additionally, high myopia puts you at a higher risk of developing complications such as retinal detachment, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts later in life.

By slowing the progression of myopia in children, these potentially blinding conditions can be avoided in adulthood. A lower prescription also opens up more opportunities for laser eye surgery for vision correction in the future.

How Vision Impacts Learning & Development

Up to 80% of learning is visual. When children don’t receive vision correction before starting school, they may struggle to develop concentration, reading, hand-eye coordination, and other essential skills.

Many kids who have vision problems may be labelled with developmental or behavioural problems in school. These problems seemingly disappear once your child receives proper vision correction. If your child is exhibiting any developmental or learning difficulties, make sure they have an up-to-date eye exam to rule out other causes.

Other signs of vision problems to watch for in kids include: closing or covering one eye to see, squinting, head tilting, holding objects and books close to their face, or complaining of frequent headaches. If you notice any of these signs, book an eye exam right away.

Our Myopia Control Methods

Our approach to myopia control includes a thorough eye exam, followed by a discussion about your child’s lifestyle and abilities. Your child’s age and comfort with contact lenses or eye drops will also be factored into their treatment plan.

We offer a variety of myopia prevention methods at Canmore Family Eyecare, including:

Myopia Control Contact Lenses: These daily disposable contact lenses are approved for kids 8 and older. They provide vision correction while also targeting eye elongation. We recommend CooperVision MiSight contact lenses and Acuvue Abiliti contact lenses.
Myopia Control Glasses: These glasses use a specialty lens to correct vision and control myopia progression, slowing eye growth to a similar rate as in non-myopic eyes. We fit kids with Essilor Stellest spectacle lenses and HOYA MiYOSMART spectacle lenses in their chosen frames.
Ortho-k lenses: These hard contact lenses are worn overnight to reshape the eyes while your child sleeps, reducing the need for glasses or contacts during the day. If we decide to pursue ortho-k lenses for your child, we can provide a referral for their fitting and treatment.
Low-dose Atropine drops: These medicated eye drops are used at night. They dilate the pupils and deliberately defocus the eyes, slowing myopia progression.

At your child’s appointment, you can discuss different options to slow myopia progression. You can ask any questions you have about the available treatments to determine the best choice for your child. We’ll guide you every step of the way.

Healthy Habits for Healthy Eyes

Several contributing factors are believed to worsen myopia. By adjusting your child’s habits, you can help them protect their eyes for the future.

Some healthy habits include:

Wear prescription lenses at all times: Especially important for close-up work, wearing your prescription glasses or contact lenses helps prevent eye strain.
Use good lighting: Use sufficient lighting while reading, using the computer or watching TV. When using screens, the screen should be approximately the same brightness as the room.
Give your eyes a break: Reduce screen time and give your eyes a break from close work. Children should have a break every 15–20 minutes. Teens and adults should take breaks every 30 minutes.
Spend time outdoors: Outdoor play or sports can help reduce eye strain and develop skills, including hand-eye coordination and peripheral vision. Children should spend around 80 minutes outdoors in daylight every day. Take care of your eyes too, and join them for a walk or hike through our beautiful Rocky Mountains.

Book an Appointment to Learn More

Kids grow fast, and their eyes are no exception. Regular eye exams are key to catching emerging vision problems such as myopia early. The sooner we detect myopia, the more we can preserve their sight.

Book your child’s next eye exam to discuss myopia control and protect their vision for the future.

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