What is Myopia?

Myopia (nearsightedness) is a common vision condition where the eyeball is too long or too powerful, resulting in blurred far vision. Vision for close objects is clear within a certain range.

myopia control
 

Why are we concerned about myopia?

The prevalence of myopia in young people is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide, bringing with it a host of health risks. In North America, the prevalence of myopia has increased from 28.3% in 2000 to 42.1% in 2020. A recent study predicts that 50% of the world population will be myopic by the year 2050. Generally once you become myopic, it tends to worsen over time. Higher levels of myopia are associated with higher risks of eye diseases like glaucoma, retinal detachment and cataract later in life.

  -1.00 to -3.00 D -3.25 to -5.00 D -5.25 to -7.00 D Over -7.00
Myopic Maculopathy 2 X 10 X 41 X 127 X
Retinal Detachment 3 X 9 X 22 X 44 X
Cataract (PSC) 2 X 3 X 6 X Data not available
Glaucoma 2 X 3 X 3 X Data not available
Table 1: Increased risk of myopia comorbidities with increasing degree of myopia
 

What causes myopia development and progression?

There are many factors that affect the development and progression of myopia. Some of the main risk factors are:

  • Genetics
    • If one parent has myopia, their child has approximately 20% chance of also developing myopia.
    • If both parents have myopia, the probability of their child developing myopia more than doubles.
  • Age of Onset
    • More likely to progress faster and reach higher myopia when onset <9 year of age.
  • Binocular vision disorders (i.e. esophoria, accommodative lag, high AC/A, etc)
  • Limited time outdoors
    • Less than 2 hours outdoors per day significantly increases the likelihood of developing myopia.
  • Excessive near work
    • More than 2 hours per day on near work (not including school work).
 
myopia control

How do we assess Myopia?

To help your child reduce the risk of myopia-related complications, InDepth Vision offers comprehensive myopia control services. To begin, the Optometrists at InDepth Vision will provide a thorough assessment of all the factors contributing to your child’s myopia progression. This allows us to customize our treatment plan for your child, thereby slowing your child’s myopia as much as possible.

The assessment includes state-of-the-art technology, such as the Topcon Myah, to measure your child's eye length and corneal shape. These are important indicators of how fast their myopia is progressing and how effective our treatment is. We will also educate you and your child on how to care for their eyes and prevent further deterioration.

At the end of your assessment, we will sit down together to discuss the best treatment options for your child, and work with you to develop the optimal treatment plan. We will recommend the most suitable option for your child based on their age, prescription, lifestyle and preferences. We will then monitor your child's vision regularly and adjust the treatment plan as needed.

By choosing InDepth Vision’s myopia control services, you are giving your child the best chance to enjoy clear vision and healthy eyes for life. Contact us today to get started!

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How can we slow Myopia progression?

  • MiyoSmart lenses for glasses
  • Stellest lenses for glasses
  • MiSight Contact Lenses
  • Orthokeratology
  • Bifocals/Multifocals/Progressives
  • Optometric Vision Therapy
  • Atropine

MiyoSmart is an innovative spectacle lens for myopia control developed by Hoya together with its research collaborator. Based on clinical trial results, MiyoSmart is proven to curb myopia progression in children on average by 60%3 with its award-winning D.I.M.S. (Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments) technology.

3 CH. Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) spectacle lenses slow myopia progression: a 2-year randomised clinical trial. British Journal of Ophthalmology. Published Online First: 29 May 2019. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2018-313739 https://bjo.bmj.com/content/104/3/363

miyosmart hoya certified miosmart dispenser

Stellest is an innovative lens for your child’s glasses that have been shown to slow down myopia progression in children. Based on clinical trial results, Stellest is proven to curb myopia progression in children on average by 67%3 compared to single vision lenses.

essilor stellest

A simple-to-wear, one-day soft contact lens your child throws away at the end of each day. ActivControl® Technology targets the source of myopia progression§
Lets children with myopia see well at all distances1*

MiSight® 1 day contact lenses may not slow the rate of myopia progression in all children and will not cure myopia.
Chamberlain P, Logan N, Jones D, Gonzalez-Meijome J, Saw S-M, Young G. Clinical evaluation of a dual-focus myopia control 1 day soft contact lens: 3-year results. Presented at: British Contact Lens Association Clinical Conference, Liverpool, England.

mi-sight

Ortho-K (for short) is a non-surgical procedure using specially designed contact lenses to gently reshape the curvature of the eye to improve vision. These contact lenses are typically worn overnight, thereby changing the shape of your eye while you sleep.

Bifocals, Multifocals, and Progressives are glasses lenses that are designed to provide the proper distance prescription for viewing distant targets, and an adjusted prescription for looking at near objects, such as reading, looking at your phone, etc. This type of prescription can also be achieved in a contact lens.

Optometric Vision Therapy is an area of optometric care that focuses on developing, improving, and enhancing an individual’s visual skills and performance. An individualized treatment program will be prescribed by a doctor of optometry to treat various visual deficits that affect all areas of life. To find out more about Vision Therapy, click here.

Daily eye drops which paralyze focus & dilate the pupils. These drops have been shown to effectively slow the progression of myopia. Some side effects, such as blurry vision at near and light sensitivity, may occur with these drops.

Contact Our Experienced Optometrists Today!

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