Myopia Control | Wainwright

Give Your Child the Gift of Sight

A refractive error affects how the eyes bend (refract) light. There are several types of refractive errors, and they occur when the shape of the eye, cornea, or lens changes the way light is focused inside the eye.

Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is a refractive error that makes distant objects blurry while nearby objects remain clear. It’s a common vision problem, affecting nearly 30% of Canadians. It usually develops during childhood, worsens throughout school-aged years, and stabilizes around age 20 when the eyes stop growing.

There are certain risks associated with high (progressive) myopia, and since more children are being diagnosed with this condition earlier, doctors are focused on preventing it from worsening. Although myopia can’t be prevented or reversed, it can be controlled in early childhood. We offer several myopia control methods at Prairie Vision to slow myopia progression and prevent serious eye health concerns later in life.

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How Myopia Develops

There’s no known cause for myopia, although research suggests that it occurs when there’s a complex combination of factors that lead to eye elongation, including:

Genetic predisposition
Environmental factors associated with urbanization
Increased near work
Reduced time spent outdoors

The eyes tend to grow rapidly during early childhood and slower during adolescence. When children develop myopia around age 12 or older, their myopia is less severe because their eyes aren’t growing as quickly during these years. When children around 6 to 8 develop myopia, they’re at a higher risk of developing high myopia because their eyes are growing quickly.

High myopia is defined as nearsightedness that requires at least −5 dioptres of correction. High myopia is associated with an increased risk of serious eye conditions, including:

What Is Myopia Control?

Myopia is generally corrected with glasses or contact lenses, but to prevent this vision problem from developing into high myopia, we recommend controlling its progression during early childhood. This is called myopia control.

Myopia control encompasses several methods that can slow or even stop myopia in growing eyes. Some methods are more effective than others, and the most effective method depends on the individual child and their unique eyes and needs.

At Prairie Vision, we can provide atropine eye drops, specialty eyeglass lenses, and contact lenses.

Atropine Eye Drops

Atropine eye drops are used to dilate your pupils during a comprehensive eye exam. They relax the muscles in your pupils so they don’t respond to light. But these drops have also been shown to effectively slow myopia progression in children when used in low doses before bed.

How these drops work for myopia is complex, but experts think they bind to growth receptors in the eyes and prevent the eyes from growing too long.

MiyoSmart Eyeglass Lenses

MiyoSmart eyeglass lenses are specialty myopia control lenses manufactured by Hoya. The technology focuses on peripheral defocus, a theory stating that blurring side vision helps slow myopia.

MiyoSmart lenses have been proven to reduce myopia growth by an average of 60%. They can be fitted for children of all ages and are designed specifically for a child’s lifestyle. They’re Impact resistant, thin and light, and provide UV protection.

MiSight® 1 Day Contact Lenses

MiSight® 1 day contact lenses are proven to slow myopia progression while correcting vision in children as young as 8. They’re built on the mechanism of myopic defocus to encourage the eyes to slow their growth.

These contact lenses are single-use (discarded at the end of the day), easy to fit, comfortable, and provide freedom from wearing glasses.

Myopia Control Program

To view the Myopia Management Control program click here.

Myopia Management at Prairie Vision

If you have a younger child who’s been diagnosed with myopia and you’re worried about how this vision problem will affect them, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Our optometric team is happy to discuss the options available and provide you and your child with solutions suitable for their needs.

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Our Location

We serve clients of all ages from Wainwright, Viking, Vermilion, Provost, Lloydminster (Alberta), Macklin (Saskatchewan), and the surrounding areas.