Myopia Control in Surrey
The progression of myopia (nearsightedness) in children can be slowed. The Canadian Association of Optometrists now regards myopia control in children as the standard of care to mitigate the risk of future eye diseases. Regular annual eye exams are crucial for the early detection of nearsightedness.
One of the most effective methods for Myopia Control is Ortho-Keratology (Ortho-K), which not only provides clear vision during the day but also helps slow the progression of myopia.
What Is Myopia and How Can It Affect Children?
Myopia, or near-sightedness, means that patients are able to see well up close, but poorly in the distance. This generally happens when the eye is slightly too long. This is one of the most common reasons why people may need glasses or contacts to see clearly.
Myopia can arise from both genetics and from how we use and treat our eyes. Straining our eyes with excessive near work, screens, and not give our eyes breaks can cause people to develop myopia even if there is no family history of it. In children, 60-120 minutes of outdoor time or exposure to bright, outdoor lighting has been shown to help prevent or reduce myopia progression.
Signs of Myopia
Myopia is a common eye condition that typically starts in childhood and worsens during adolescence. Symptoms include blurred distance vision, eye strain, and headaches. If your child is squinting, sitting close to the TV, or holding books close to their face, these may be signs of myopia. However, in some cases, there are no noticeable signs, making regular eye exams with an optometrist essential.
Besides having to wear glasses or contacts, what are the consequences of myopia?
Myopia is not just an inconvenience. When myopia is progressive, especially in children who are still growing quickly, the eye grows and stretches abnormally. This stretching can make the eye more prone to retinal conditions such as retinal holes, tears and detachments.
Therefore, addressing your child’s myopia now can protect their eyes for the rest of their lives!
The risk of secondary eye disease is directly related to how much an eye stretches, which we measure indirectly when we check your glasses prescription. The higher the prescription, the more stretching and the more risk there is. Our doctors will also provide a thorough eye health examination including wide field retinal imaging to monitor any changes.
What can we do to protect our children from myopia?
First, prevention is key. Taking frequent breaks (20-20-20 rule) from straining our eyes up-close with screens, books, or toys, and getting plenty of outdoor light exposure have been shown to help prevent myopia. This is especially important if one or both parents had near-sightedness.
Once kids develop myopia, there is no way to reverse or stop myopia progression entirely. However, we have several great options to help reduce how much they progress from year to year. The goal is to keep each child’s myopia as low and stable as possible, to minimize the abnormal stretching and potential eye damage.
There are many treatment options to help minimize myopia progression. These are specialty glasses (DIMS glasses lenses, such as with Stellest or MiyoSmart lenses), specialty contacts (ortho-keratology or myopia control soft contact lenses), vision therapy to improve optimal function, and/or prescription atropine drops. Each method works a little differently, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Our eye doctors will discuss the best option for your child at your comprehensive eye exam.
Regular glasses are designed to correct blurry distance vision by refocusing light directly onto the retina. However, they do not address the underlying causes of myopia progression, nor do they slow down its development. Standard lenses simply correct vision without affecting how the eye grows, which means they can’t prevent the elongation of the eyeball that’s associated with worsening myopia. In contrast, specialized treatments like Myopia Control lenses, Ortho-K, and Atropine Eye Drops are designed to slow the progression of myopia by addressing how light is focused on the peripheral retina or influencing the growth patterns of the eye.
Ortho-K involves wearing specially designed rigid contact lenses overnight to gently reshape the cornea. This non-surgical treatment provides clear vision during the day without glasses or contact lenses and has been shown to be highly effective in slowing down myopia progression in children. The process is fully reversible, making it a safe and adaptable option for growing children. Ortho-K not only offers freedom from daytime lenses but also helps to manage the elongation of the eye, which is a primary factor in myopia progression. This makes Ortho-K an excellent choice for active children who participate in sports or other activities where glasses can be inconvenient.
Atropine eye drops are a prescription medication used to slow down myopia progression. When administered in low concentrations (usually 0.01% to 0.05%), they have been proven to be safe and effective for children with progressing myopia. The drops are typically applied once daily, often at bedtime. Although atropine doesn’t correct vision itself, it works by temporarily relaxing the eye’s focusing mechanism, which reduces the stimulus for myopia progression. It’s an ideal option for children who may not be comfortable with contact lenses or who need an additional method of control alongside other treatments.
Myopia Control Eyeglass Lenses are specially designed lenses that not only correct nearsightedness but also slow down its progression. One popular option is the defocus incorporated multiple segments (DIMS) technology. The doctor will carefully recommend the best option for you. These lenses have different focal points that help to control how light is focused on the retina, creating a peripheral defocus that slows eye elongation. Unlike regular glasses, these specialized lenses provide ongoing myopia management, making them a great option for children who are not ready for contact lenses or prefer wearing glasses.
Support for Myopia
Is your child’s vision a concern? Schedule regular eye exams to assess and screen for myopia and other eye conditions. If diagnosed with myopia, we can help select the right method to manage and slow its progression. Don’t wait to take control. Schedule an appointment with Airdrie Family Eye Doctors today to ensure your child has clear, bright vision.