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Children's vision protected at Miller Optometry
Myopia management has become a significant component of children's eyecare over the last years and is a rapidly evolving area where keeping up to date with knowledge is essential.
Introducing Myopia
Myopia, or nearsightedness, means that the light doesn't focus on the retina of the eye, but in front of it. This makes objeccts and delails in the distance blurry, like the school board, road signs, television and cinema. Close up things like a cellphone, homework, reading a book are often still in focus.
As children grow from childhood into the teenage years and early adulthood, their bodies are growing and changing and the eyes are too. Myopia tends to progress throughout these years.
Prevalence of Myopia
Myopia is becoming an increasingly common finding, according to the World Health Organization. Studies suggest that by 2050 nearly half of the world's population may be myopic.
The importance of Myopia Management
The concern about myopia progressing is that the changes in the shape of the eyes make them more at risk from serious eye diseases including:
- retinal tears and detachments,
- myopic macular degeneration,
- cataracts,
- glaucoma.
Benefits of Myopia Management
The short-term benefits include a more stable prescription, meaning less need for changing glasses. This also makes investing in additional eyewear more affordable, having prescription sunglasses and sports glasses, additional pairs for different looks.
It can ensure that more career choices are available to your child, like policing, military and driving which can have restrictions. Perhaps a desire to have surgery to correct the vision in the future will be a consideration, for example with LASIK, reducing the development of the prescription can maintain that it remains within the treatable limits.
A very significant benefit of myopia control is keeping the vision without glasses (the unaided vision) as clear as possible for activities like sports, swimming, playgrounds, trampoline parks where wearing spectacles isn't ideal or an option.
The longer-term benefits include improved eye health and improved quality of life through better vision. Taking steps to control myopia development now can protect and benefit the eyes for years to come.
Steps to take
Regular eye examinations are essential as part of taking care of your child's development. It is important to maintain the eyes as best in focus as possible to minimise the risk of myopia progression.
Another great thing is to make sure that the children play outdoors regularly. Spending at least ninety minutes in outdoor light every day makes a significant difference. Other factors that can make children at risk of developing myopia are family history and a tendency to near work, like reading or gaming, for extended periods of time.
If myopia is diagnosed, then our optometrists will explain the options available to help with myopia control and together create a plan that suits the family lifestyle and each child best.
Myopia Management Options
Spectacle lenses with myopia control designs
We offer both the Microlens and the MyoLess myopia control lenses. Slightly different in their designs, our optometrists and opticians will know exactly the right option for your child. Available for both regular glasses and also prescription sunglasses, even with Transitions and Polarized options every situation is covered.
These special lenses use different forms of technology give us the ability to tailor the perfect pair of spectacles for your child, their hobbies and activities.
Contact lenses - daily disposable and ortho-K
Daily disposable contact lenses are soft, comfortable, hygienic and easy to use. With the option of either MiSight or Abiliti contact lenses, a good range of prescriptions and fitting characteristics are covered. Worn regularly, they help ensure clear and comfortable vision while also controlling myopia progression through the enhanced optics of the lenses.
Ortho-K contact lenses are rigid lenses which you sleep in at night. A little like a retainer, they gently re-shape the curvature of the front surface of the eye, the cornea. When you wake up, simply take them out and be glasses free throughout the day. The optics naturally provide myopa control along with clear vision. They are surprisingly comfortable to wear.
All of our contact lenses for myopia control are through our subscription programme, making this very affordable on a monthly basis and hassle-free for busy lives!
Atropine therapy
Specifically formulated Atropine drops are put into the eye once a day, just before bed. This can make for a very easy routine to aid myopia control. We are now seeing atropine therapy emerging as a co-treatment alongside spectacle or contact lens myopia control with impressive results.
We can help you decide if this is the best choice for your child during our your regular appointments.
Delay myopia onset
With regular eye examinations, it can be possible to detect an increased risk of myopia starting and delay the onset of myopia. Age of onset of myopia is significant for the final level of myopia and the earlier that myopia starts, the more likely that the prescription as an adult will be high.
Combining regular time outdoors and limiting near work time outside of school (both reading and screen time) will naturally reduce the risks. When doing near work tasks, a proper working distance and ensuring regular activity breaks will also minimise the risks associated with these activities.
Starting myopia control therapies as mentioned above, like special spectacle lenses, in high risk pre-myopes is also a consideration for you to discuss with your optometrist.
Research has shown that for each year that onset is delayed, the effect is the equivalent of two to three years of myopia control to slow its progression. This is a very real example of the age-old saying that an "ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".
Our locations
Halifax, NS
Phone: (902) 406-2020
Fax: (902) 406-3070
2828 Windsor Street
Halifax, NS B3K 5E6
Bridgewater, NS
Phone: (902) 543-3937
Fax: (902) 543-1132
4 Pine Grove Road
Bridgewater, NS B4V 4H5
Dartmouth, NS
Phone: (902) 707-4400
Fax: (902) 707-4401
90 Hector Gate
Dartmouth, NS B3B 0B9
