Managing Your Child’s Myopia

Myopia, more commonly known as nearsightedness, is a refractive error that typically emerges between ages 6 and 14 when the eyes are growing and changing. While myopia can’t be reversed, methods are available to control the progression of myopia in children. These methods can protect them from developing high myopia later in life.

It’s important that we catch and monitor early signs of myopia so we can both correct your child’s vision and protect it for the future. So, visit us for a children’s eye exam today.

Request an Appointment

What Is Myopia?

Myopia, or nearsightedness, means a person can’t focus on objects in the distance. This common eye condition affects the parts of the eye that focus images: the cornea and the lens. Myopia develops when the eyeball elongates irregularly or the cornea’s shape has too much curvature. This causes a refractive error preventing light rays from focusing correctly in the eye.

These symptoms may appear when myopia affects your child’s vision:

Trouble seeing the front of the classroom clearly
Squinting or partially closing eyelids to see clearly
Headaches caused by eyestrain
Frequent eye rubbing and excessive blinking
Sitting closer to the television or front of the classroom

If you read through those signs and recognize them in your child, visit your optometrist for an eye exam so they can accurately diagnose this refractive error.

Our Myopia Control Options

At Foresee Eyecare, we have several myopia control options, including contact lenses, glasses lenses, and eye drops. In some cases, depending on your child’s particular needs beyond myopia control, we may also recommend vision therapy.

We’ll discover what suits your child best and explain every step of the process.

Orthokeratology

This type of myopia management uses specially designed contact lenses to reshape the corneas and slow the elongation of the eyeball. Children wear these rigid gas permeable contacts lenses overnight, and they gradually shape the corneas, providing clearer vision the next day.

The results of orthokeratology (ortho-k) only last a day or 2, and the overall effects are temporary. If your child stops wearing the lenses, they will have to use a different method of myopia management and vision correction.

MiSight

MiSight contact lenses have been clinically shown to slow myopia development in children between 8 and 12. In a study conducted by MiSight over 3 years, they found multifocal lenses effectively reduced myopia progression by 59% compared to regular single vision lenses.

These special contact lenses have concentric rings that create myopic defocus, allowing images to focus in front of the retina rather than behind. This then slows the unwanted elongation of the eye.

MiyoSmart

MiyoSmart spectacle lenses can aid in slowing the progression of myopia using Hoya’s DIMS technology. This technology corrects light refraction through the lens and onto the front of the retina rather than the back, creating myopic defocus much like MiSight contact lenses. They’re great for children who don’t want to or can’t wear contact lenses.

Atropine

Atropine is a medication sometimes used before an eye exam to dilate the pupils. Studies have found that low-dose atropine eye drops can aid in slowing the progression of myopia in children.

Your eye doctor can recommend the best dose of atropine and a treatment plan to follow. Since atropine doesn’t correct your child’s vision, they’ll also need to wear corrective glasses or contacts during the day if their refractive error disrupts daily tasks.

Vision Therapy

Vision therapy is an alternative, non-surgical treatment to mend certain ocular issues using therapeutic procedures, exercises, and in some cases, virtual reality. It may be recommended if your child’s vision problems are related to the connection between their eyes and their brain. Learn more about vision therapy at Foresee Eyecare.

Help Improve Your Child’s Quality of Life

Visit us today to assess your child’s eye health with a children’s eye exam to determine if they are nearsighted and need some form of myopia control.

We offer guidance throughout any myopia management program to ensure their quality of life is not affected by nearsightedness.

Request an Appointment

Our Services

Vision Therapy

Myopia Control

Specialty Contact Lenses

Eye Disease Diagnosis & Management

Children’s Eye Exams

Adult & Senior Eye Exams

Location

Our office can be found off of Major MacKenzie Drive West in the same lot as the Medical Centre and Tim Hortons. The location of our office is 965 Major Mackenzie Dr. West, Units 3 & 4.