Advanced Eye Care for Nearsighted Children

Myopia (nearsightedness) is very common, affecting about 30% of Canadians and beginning primarily in childhood. While kids with myopia can have clear vision with glasses or contacts, high myopia comes with risks of vision loss later in life.

Specially designed eyeglasses, like Stellest, and contact lenses, like MiSight, can help slow the progression of your child’s myopia as they grow, leaving them with a lower prescription in adulthood. At your child’s eye exam, we can assess whether they’re a good candidate for myopia control.

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What Is Myopia Control?

People with myopia (nearsightedness) have difficulty focusing on objects that are far away. This happens because the shape of their eyes causes light to focus in front of the retina instead of on it. While the eyes are still growing, they’ll try to compensate for myopia by growing longer—but this just makes the myopia worse.

Myopia control lenses work by “tricking” the eye into thinking it’s already the right length, therefore stopping or slowing its growth. This, in turn, slows the progression of myopia, resulting in a lower refractive error.

Controlling the Progression of Myopia

Just like you, we want your child to have clear vision. Both of our recommended myopia control methods correct a child’s nearsightedness while simultaneously controlling their myopia progression.

MiYoSmart lenses have been proven to slow myopia by 60%. They’re worn just like regular glasses, plus they’re impact-resistant for whatever tumbles life brings.

MiSight daily contact lenses have been shown to reduce myopia progression by 59% in a 3-year study. Because they’re daily disposables, they’re easy for your child to use with no concerns about storing or cleaning the contacts.

We’d love to discuss your child’s myopia control options with you. Please book an appointment today.

Preventing Myopia

Myopia is generally understood to be caused by a mix of environmental and genetic factors. If a child’s parents are myopic, the child is more likely to be nearsighted, too.

The Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) notes that increased time spent indoors and doing close-up activities, like using screens or reading, likely contribute to myopia development. The CAO recommends children spend at least 90 minutes outside every day.

The CAO also advises keeping children away from screens before age 3 and limiting them to an hour a day until age 9.