Myopia Management

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 Myopia means Near-sightedness. If your child is myopic this is usually because their eye is slightly longer than usual (from the front to the back). This means that light focuses in front of their retina at the back of their eye, rather than focusing directly on it.  Myopia control or Myopia management is a group of methods eye doctors can use to slow the progression of childhood myopia. There is no cure for myopia, but there are ways to help control how rapidly it develops or progresses. These may include myopia control contact lenses or glasses, and habit changes. 

Children are more likely to develop myopia if their parents are nearsighted. However, myopia is on the rise overall, especially in kids. No one is exactly sure why, but experts believe it could be related to more time doing closeup tasks indoors like using computers and playing video games.

The younger a child becomes myopic, the more likely they will develop higher levels of myopia. The worsening of myopia can continue even into early adulthood. It is important to detect myopia as soon as possible, as starting myopia treatment early can prevent your child’s eyes from reaching severe levels of myopia by the time they reach adulthood.

Why is it important to lessen the amount of myopia?
Higher amounts of myopia (greater than -3.00) have been associated with an increased risk of the following sight threatening conditions.

• Myopic macular degeneration
• Peripheral retina tears and detachments
• Glaucoma
• Increased dependency on glasses or correction (ie. Needing glasses to see alarm clock or to get up in the middle of the night)

Special design daily wear contact lenses and spectacle lenses have proven via research over that last 8+ years to reduce the rate of Myopia progression by 40-60% on average after 1 to 2 years.

Spectacle lenses. These are specially designed lenses. They look virtually the same as traditional lenses but change the focus in the peripheral vision.  We currently offer two different options;

• MiyoSmart lenses by Hoya. These lenses are made of polycarbonate and include anti-scratch and anti-glare coatings. $576.00
• MyoLess lenses by IOT. These lenses are available in many different material and coating options, pricing starts at $336.00 with the anti-scratch coating.

Contact lenses  Soft daily disposable contact lenses which have been designed to change the focus of light in the peripheral vision. Your child would wear these in a similar way to standard daily disposable contact lenses.

• MiSight daily wear contact lenses by Coopervision

    - Fitting fee $275
    - 90-Packs (3 Months Supply) of daily wear contact lenses $235

 
All children enrolling in a myopia management treatment modality will have their Spectacle Rx rechecked at 6 months after their previous complete eye examination.  If their Spectacle Rx has increased more than -0.50 D (2 steps or clicks of near-sightedness), they are eligible for a spectacle lens update at No Charge. 

 
It is very likely that your child will still need to wear glasses or contact lenses even if the treatment to manage their myopia has been successful. However, they should have a lower level of myopia than they may have had without myopia management. 
 

 Your child will still be prescribed traditional glasses or contact lenses if they are diagnosed with myopia. These will improve how well your child can see, but will not slow myopia progression. Your child may be at a slightly higher risk of being affected by conditions that can lead to sight loss, but the risk of sight loss remains relatively low. 

 Children who demonstrate a moderate change in their Spectacle Rx from their previous exam and in the opinion of their optometrist, are candidates.The earlier a child starts Myopia Management, research demonstrates the better the effect in reducing the rate of myopia progression. Children can start Myopia Management as early as their 2nd pair of spectacles.  Treatment with special design contact lenses and/or Spectacle lenses should be maintained until at least 18 years of age for maximum beneficial and lasting effect. 

At YorktonOpto Optometry, we provide thorough eye exams to assess the health of your eyes and detect any vision problems. Our optometrists use state-of-the-art equipment to provide accurate and reliable results.

 Warren E. Popick, OD          Karen L. Caines B.Sc, OD