Myopia Control For Your Child’s Best Vision in 2023

Hello wonderful friends, and welcome to 2023! The Merivale Vision Care team hopes that you had a rejuvenating and joyful holiday period and that you’re back at whatever it is that you do best with renewed vigor and motivation. There is no time like the present to care for your vision as well as your children’s. If nearsightedness is in your family, then we have the solutions for you. Read on to learn all about our innovative eye care solutions for nearsightedness.

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common condition in adults and children that prevents a person from seeing clearly in the distance without glasses. A minus (-) sign in front of the numbers on your spectacle prescription indicates nearsightedness. Myopia is particularly problematic for children because it tends to get worse over time due to the lengthening of the eye and is often associated with ocular issues such as glaucoma, early-onset cataracts, and retinal complications. The great news is that we can help prevent some of these harmful eye conditions with treatments aimed at controlling myopia. We also have tools such as an axial length camera to help measure your child’s eye length which is an important tool in myopia management.

At Merivale Vision Care one of the most used treatments for children are eyeglasses fitted with Hoya Miyosmart lenses. They include a special technology to slow the rate of myopic progression over time (by up to 60%) that conventional lenses don’t have. These lenses are suitable for children from 6-18 years of age. Your Doctor of Optometry and our amazing dispensing team can tell you more about exactly how these amazing lenses work.

We also can fit your child with soft contact lenses that can help slow the rate of myopic progression by approximately 59%. These are called MiSight and are suitable for children between the ages of 8-12 years. Check with your Doctor of Optometry to see if contact lenses are right for your child and if your child’s prescription is suitable for these lenses.

Less often used but effective treatments include, a once-a-day eye drop that can be used for children as young as 4 years old. These drops have been shown to reduce the rate of myopia progression by about 50%. If these drops are right for your child, be sure to have them wear sunglasses during outdoor playtime. Ortho K contact lenses are also another option, where these hard contact lenses are worn during sleep and have been shown to reduce the rate of myopia progression by about 50-60%.  

During your appointment with us, your Doctor of Optometry will let you know what the best myopia control solution is for your child, and plan out the course of care during your child’s myopia management so your child gets optimal results. Ready to book? Let us help your child see their best in 2023.