Myopia Management

Blurry Distance Vision? Let Us Help Prevent Your Child’s Growing Nearsightedness

You might’ve noticed your child squinting while watching TV, bumping into things, or struggling with sports that require catching. These could all be signs that your child has myopia (nearsightedness).

But blurry distances are just the start of how myopia can affect your child. By identifying and managing this common condition early on, we can help provide support for their daily vision needs and reduce the risk of developing sight-threatening conditions later in life.

To find out if your child can benefit from myopia management, bring them in for an eye exam. Let’s take care of their vision together.

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What Is Myopia Management?

Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is a condition that can worsen over time. It happens when the eye becomes more oval (rather than circular) as your child’s eyes grow. This means that light has to travel a longer distance to reach light-detecting retinal tissue.

The goal of myopia management is to slow down or even stop the progression of myopia.

Routine Eye Exams Are Integral to Supporting Your Child’s Vision

By coming in for regular eye exams, we can keep an eye out for any signs that your child may be at risk for myopia or other eye conditions, even if they don’t need glasses just yet.

We can get to know their health history and lifestyle to identify risks. One risk factor is genetics, as there’s a significantly higher risk if at least one parent has myopia.

Myopia management means we can create a personalized plan, educate your child about their vision, and suggest management methods that meet your child’s vision needs and lifestyle.

How We Can Help Manage Myopia

There are 2 notable types of myopia management technologies available at our practice: myopia control soft contact lenses and myopia control glasses. Both these methods do double duty by correcting blurry vision and slowing down myopia progression.

Myopia Control Soft Contact Lenses

Regular contact lenses work by using a single lens power to correct vision. However, myopia control soft contact lenses are designed differently.

They have multiple lens powers arranged in rings, kind of like a bull’s eye. The centre of the lens helps your child see distances clearly, while the outer ring helps prevent myopia progression. These lenses are also referred to as myopia control soft contact lenses.

Myopia Control Glasses

Regular glasses use a single lens power or prescription. But glasses for myopia management contain multiple lens powers.

The honeycomb layout features multiple spots or zones all over the lens surface. By integrating 2 different lens powers, myopia glasses can correct blurred vision and help prevent myopia progression.

Healthy Habits You Can Practice to Preserve Your Child’s Vision

When it comes to supporting your child, there’s more to it than just implementing proper management methods. You can actually incorporate healthy lifestyle habits that promote their vision and overall development.

Remember, it’s all about finding ways to support your child’s vision and development in ways that are practical and even fun.

We’re happy to offer personalized tips after we have a discussion with you and your child. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Make Time for the Great Outdoors

Encourage your child to spend more time outdoors. Studies have shown that outdoor activities can help lower the risk of myopia and slow down progression.

Remember to wear sun protection so your child can enjoy at least 2 hours outdoors daily.

Balance Up-Close Tasks & Distance Activities

Pay attention to distances. With the modern lifestyle, kids tend to spend a lot of time focusing on close distances required for reading, studying, texting, or streaming on tablets. This dependence on close vision has been linked to myopia progression.

It’s important to find opportunities for your child to engage in activities that require them to look further ahead than a few feet.

Take Breaks from Screen Time

Help your child establish regular screen breaks. Whether it’s stretching, playing outside, helping with chores, or trying something new, taking a break from screens can give their eyes a much-needed reset.

Although digital eye strain is not directly linked to myopia progression, it’s often tied to close-vision tasks and can cause discomfort.

Book Your Child’s Eye Exam for Myopia Support

Early detection and support are key when it comes to protecting your child’s vision. Bring your child in for an eye exam today. Let’s chat about whether myopia management could be a good fit for them.

Together, we can give your child the tools and tips they need to safeguard their vision.

Book an Appointment