Myopia Control Clinic
Myopia Control Could Save Your Child From Future Vision Problems
Myopia (nearsightedness) is one of the fastest-growing health conditions affecting children in Canada and around the world. Roughly 30% of Canadians are currently myopic and global prevalence is projected to affect 50% of the world’s population by 2050. Left unmanaged, myopia doesn’t simply mean stronger glasses every year. High myopia significantly increases the lifetime risk of serious eye conditions including retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration.
The good news: when identified early, myopia progression can be meaningfully slowed. Abbey Eye Care’s Myopia Control Clinic offers a dedicated, evidence-based management program designed to protect your child’s vision for the long term. Drs. Tina and Jeff Goodhew & associates are recognized experts in myopia management, actively engaged with colleagues across North America, and bring leading-edge treatments to their Oakville patients every day.
Not sure whether your child is at risk? Use our Myopia Risk Calculator below — or book a myopia assessment to speak with our team directly.
Could Your Child Already Be At Risk? Understanding Pre-Myopia
Many children show early warning signs of myopia before their prescription ever turns negative, a stage known as pre-myopia. A child who is less farsighted than expected for their age, or who has a strong family history of myopia, may already be on a trajectory toward nearsightedness. Identifying pre-myopia early gives us the opportunity to intervene before significant prescription change occurs.
If your child hasn’t been diagnosed with myopia but you have concerns, a myopia assessment at Abbey Eye Care includes the measurements needed to identify early risk and discuss prevention strategies tailored to your child.
How is Myopia Progression Slowed?
Researchers have identified two primary strategies for slowing myopia progression in children. The first is optical: using specially designed contact lenses or glasses to alter how light focuses from the periphery of the visual field, signalling the eye to reduce its growth rate. The second is pharmaceutical: low-dose prescription eye drops (atropine) that directly slow axial eye growth.
It is the physical lengthening of the eye known as axial elongation that drives myopia progression. All myopia control treatments work by targeting this process. Learn why the eye grows and what drives myopia.
Myopia Control Treatments
Calculate Your Child’s Risk of Myopia
Myopia Control Flipbook
Myopia Control Clinic Services: What Sets Us Apart
At Abbey Eye Care, our Myopia Control Clinic goes beyond prescribing lenses, we provide a comprehensive, monitored management program backed by the latest evidence-based research.
Advanced Diagnostic Technology: We are one of a limited number of optometry clinics in Ontario with a Nidek AL-Scan, which precisely measures the axial length of your child’s eye (the physical length from front to back). Axial length is the gold standard for tracking myopia progression, if the eye is growing we are able to detect it early. We pair this with corneal topography, which maps the curvature of the cornea in detail and is essential for Ortho-K fitting and treatment monitoring.
Personalized Treatment Planning: No two children progress the same way. Our team reviews each child’s prescription history, axial length data, risk factors, and lifestyle before recommending the most effective treatment or combination of treatments.
Ongoing Monitoring: Every myopia control patient is followed at minimum every 6 months and more frequently when needed, to assess treatment efficacy and adjust the plan as your child grows. Our goal is not just to slow progression, but to optimize your child’s long-term outcome.
We look forward to working with your family to protect the future of your child’s vision. Book a myopia assessment today.
FAQ’s
At what age should myopia control start?
Myopia control is most effective when started early, ideally as soon as myopia is diagnosed, often between ages 6 and 12. That said, treatment can still be beneficial into the teenage years. Earlier intervention generally leads to better long-term outcomes.
How do I know which treatment is right for my child?
During your myopia assessment, our doctors will review your child’s prescription, axial eye measurements, lifestyle factors, and risk profile to recommend the most appropriate treatment or combination of treatments. There is no universal “best” option and will vary from child to child.
Can myopia be reversed?
Myopia cannot be reversed, but its progression can be meaningfully slowed, often by 50–60% or more with the right treatment. The goal of myopia control is to reduce the lifetime prescription your child ends up with and lower their risk of the serious eye conditions associated with high myopia as an adult.
How much outdoor time should my child get?
Research consistently shows that 2 or more hours of outdoor time daily is protective against both the onset and progression of myopia. Natural light exposure appears to play a direct role in healthy eye development.
Does screen time cause myopia?
Screen time is considered a contributing risk factor, primarily due to the sustained near work involved. The evidence points to a combination of high near work load and reduced outdoor time as the key environmental drivers of myopia in children.
Is myopia control covered by insurance?
Coverage varies by plan. Many extended health benefit plans cover a portion of contact lenses, spectacle lenses and eye examinations. Our team is happy to walk you through the costs at your appointment and help you understand what your plan may include.
