Myopia Control Clinic

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Myopia Control Could Save Your Child From Future Vision Problems

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a very common condition where children need glasses to see objects at a distance. This refractive error causes light to focus at a point just in front of the retina, making it difficult for the person to see distant objects clearly. Myopia has become increasingly common in children over recent years with intense near work (usually screen time) thought to be a key factor along with reduced time spent outdoors. 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 without intervention, we are putting their future vision at risk. Abbey Eye Care 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. Drs. Tina and Jeff Goodhew have spoken to their colleagues across North America about their experience with controlling myopia in children. They bring their expertise to their patients every day.

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How to Slow Down Myopia Progression?

There are two ways researchers have discovered 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.

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Myopia Control Flipbook

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Myopia Control Treatments

A hard contact lens is inserted at night time just before bed and removed immediately upon awakening. This gently reshapes the surface of the eye, taking the child’s prescription to zero. This allows the child to go to school without the need for glasses or contact lenses. Ortho-K slows down the rate of myopia progression by about 50-60%. Ortho-K is approved by Health Canada & the FDA for myopia control. 

MiSight by CooperVision and Abiliti by Johnson & Johnson are novel soft daily disposable contact lenses worn throughout the day (no overnight wear). These contact lenses have customized optical profiles to alter the focus of light coming from our periphery (side vision). It also slows down the rate of myopia progression by about 59%. These daily disposable contact lenses are Health Canada approved for myopia control.

Abbey Eye Care is proud to offer both MiSight & Abiliti soft contact lenses. These daily disposable lenses are very safe with a very low risk of infection and contamination, particularly for kids, as they don’t need to be disinfected and reused.

Specially designed optical lenses are also available that alter the focus of light from the periphery. New developments in this area now allow for prescription control similar to contact lenses or eye drops which is in the range of 50-60%. Currently, our optical lenses of choice include the Zeiss MyoCare lens and the CooperVision MiSight Spectacle (SightGlass). We also offer the MiyoSmart lens from Hoya. 

Atropine has been used in eye care for over 100 years to help eye doctors view inside the eye and treat certain eye conditions. To control myopia, researchers have discovered that atropine can slow down prescription change by about 50%. Drops are taken once per day at night before bed. Often times these drops are used in addition to glasses or contact lenses if more myopia controlling effect is required. Atropine eye drops for myopia control are compounded (manufactured) by specialized pharmacies.

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Myopia Control Clinic Services: What Sets Us Apart

The doctors and staff at Abbey Eye Care are highly trained in the latest research surrounding myopia control. We have also invested heavily in technology to help us determine which options are best for your child and to help us measure the efficacy of their treatment plan. We are one of the only optometry clinics in Ontario to have a Zeiss IOL master; a device that allows us to measure the length of your child’s eye. We also use a corneal topographer to give us detailed information on the curvature of the front surface of the eye. We closely follow your child’s progress at least every 6 months to monitor and optimize their treatment program.

We look forward to working with you to help control your child’s myopia and help protect the future of their vision. Please call us to learn more.