Myopia Control

WHAT IS MYOPIA?

Nearsightedness, or myopia, as it is medically termed, is a vision condition in which people can see near objects clearly, but objects farther away appear blurred.

•       Mild: -0.25 to -3.00 D

•       Moderate: -3.25 to -6.00 D

•       High: greater than -6.00 D

Why is Myopia Progression a concern?

Moderate and high myopia sometimes are associated with serious, vision-threatening side effects such as cataracts, glaucoma and retinal detachments. Myopia has become increasingly common in children with increased near work (usually screen time) thought to be a key factor. Childhood myopia tends to get worse over time, resulting in the need for stronger and stronger glasses.

Moderate to high levels of myopia can lead to substantial vision loss due to lengthening of the eye which, in turn, significantly increases the risk of retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration. By allowing a child’s prescription to change unabated, we are putting their future vision at risk.

Caledon Optometry Clinic is proud to offer a myopia control clinic; a series of treatments and therapies meant to slow down the progression of myopia and help preserve your child’s future vision.

How do we slow down Myopia Progression?

Research has shown us two methods to slow down myopia progression. One is optically; using contact lenses and or glasses. The second option is pharmaceutical or prescription eye drop therapy.

By changing the focus of light from our periphery (side vision) we can signal to the eye not to grow as quickly, all the while still maintaining normal clear straight-ahead vision. It is the eye getting longer that increases myopia.

At Caledon Optometry Clinic, we utilize the latest technology and research to offer the best management option for each child. 

Frequently asked questions

• Can Eye Exercises cure Myopia?

  You’ve probably heard claims about eye exercises ‘curing’ near sightedness. In short, the answer is no. Eye exercises are not supported by high quality independent studies and are highly suspect. There is no scientific evidence to back up these so called techniques of eye massage/relaxation exercises and/or other exercises.

• Will under-correcting my child’s nearsightedness fix their myopia?

  Research has shown that under-correcting (using a smaller prescription than what they actually need to see clearly) is not effective at slowing down myopia. In fact, it might increase the risk the myopia worsening. Also, intentionally giving your child a lower prescription than what they need to see clearly, might put them at a disadvantage when they require clear vision to function (for example-sitting at the back of a classroom).

• What if my near sightedness is progressing as an adult?

  Nearsightedness develops during your early years and tends to progress rapidly in the pre teens-this is the reason why myopia control studies tend to focus on children. It is not as common for myopia to progress in adults-therefore, its likely myopia research will continue to focus on kids.

• Why is my child’s prescription increasing or their vision getting ‘worse’ every year?

  There’s multiple factors that control the progression of myopia. Inheritance plays a large role, but it doesn’t fully account for the dramatic increase in myopia across the world. Environmental factors are contributors as well-hours spent reading or on devies such as smartphones, tablets increases the risk of developing nearsightedness and myopia progression. A third factor that research has shown to contribute is less time spent outdoors. Sunlight stimulates the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine-which causes less lengthening of the eyeball and therefore less myopia progression.

• Is there a cure for myopia?

  Myopia is not a disease-it is an elongation of the eyeball that leads to light being focussed at a point in front of your retina-where it’s supposed to be focussed. This causes objects that are far away to appear blurred, while objects up close still maintain their clarity(hence the term near sightedness). Presently, there is no cure for myopia. There are scientifically proven methods that can slow the progression of myopia, as prescribed by our Myopia Control Centre at Caledon Optometry Clinic. MiSight by CooperVision is a new daily disposable contact lens that has recently been approved by the FDA for myopia control. Because they are replaced daily, they’re convenient & hygienic for use in children. It has been shown to decrease the rate of myopia progression by about 59%