Glasses are a fantastic tool for helping you see clearly. While they look simple, looks can often be deceiving. Newer lens technology, in the form of myopia glasses, corrects vision while also slowing its progression.
Myopia glasses incorporate multiple focus zones with varying prescription strengths to influence how light enters the eye. This helps discourage eye growth, a key contributor to myopia progression.
The sooner we begin myopia control treatments, the better. Stay on top of your little one’s visual health with annual routine eye exams.
Why Pursue Myopia Control Therapy?
Glasses are one of the most common and effective ways of correcting refractive errors, a group of vision issues that includes myopia.
Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, occurs when the eye grows too long or the cornea curves too much, causing light to focus in front of the retina (a tissue at the back of the eye) rather than directly on it. This results in blurry distance vision while near objects remain clear.
While myopia often develops during childhood, it tends to advance throughout childhood and adolescence, often worsening each year until the eyes stop growing in early adulthood.
As the eye grows more elongated, it becomes more susceptible to certain vision issues. In fact, higher levels of myopia (-6.00 diopters or greater) can significantly increase the risk of serious eye complications later in life, including:
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma
- Myopia maculopathy
- Retinal detachment or tears
These conditions can lead to severe complications, including permanent vision loss, making myopia control a crucial investment in your child’s future eye health.
The Role of Myopia Control
We cannot cure myopia once it develops, but we can slow its progression with myopia control therapy.
While standard glasses and contact lenses simply correct vision, myopia control glasses address the stimulus for eye elongation, thereby helping to protect your child’s future vision.
An Introduction to Myopia Glasses
The power of prescription eyewear lies in the lenses. Myopia glasses have a specialty lens design that simultaneously corrects vision while slowing myopia progression—making them truly distinct from standard single vision lenses.
The goal of myopia glasses is to discourage elongation of the eye (a key factor in myopia progression) using peripheral defocus.
Myopia glasses can reduce the progression of nearsightedness by up to 50%. The sooner we start this myopia control journey, the better we can support your child’s visual health.
The Benefits of Myopia Glasses
Investing in your child’s vision is well worth the time, effort, and energy. With myopia glasses, the benefits speak for themselves:
- Easy to use: Myopia glasses are just like regular eyewear. Simply put them on in the morning, and you are set for the day, making them a great low-maintenance option for myopia control.
- Dual function: Children benefit from clear vision during daily activities, from schoolwork to sports and recreational activities, while also benefiting from the myopia control properties of their lenses. This is a great option for parents who want vision correction without compromising on myopia management.
- Brief adjustment period: Some children might need some time to adjust to the lenses’ multifocal design, but it typically resolves within a few days to weeks of regular wear.
- Part of a broader myopia control plan: We can use myopia glasses alongside other control treatments (prescription drops, lifestyle changes, etc.), potentially achieving better outcomes than any single option alone.
A Comprehensive Approach to Myopia Control
Myopia glasses represent an excellent foundation for myopia control, but combining different treatments often yields better results.
Here is a closer look at the other myopia control treatments we offer:
- Specialty contact lenses: These include multifocal soft contact lenses that help control eye growth and orthokeratology lenses that are worn overnight to temporarily reshape the cornea.
- Lifestyle changes: Habits such as long hours on digital screens, close-up tasks, and spending less time outdoors can contribute to myopia progression. Being mindful of screen time and spending time in natural sunlight can support your visual health.
- Routine eye exams: Regular check-ins with your optometrist help us track your child’s myopia progression, allowing us to adjust the course of treatment as needed.
Every child’s myopia progression is unique, and a comprehensive approach allows us to tailor treatment plans that align with each patient.
Taking the Next Step in Myopia Control
Myopia glasses offer a low-maintenance solution to managing your child’s rate of nearsightedness, while also correcting their vision. Don’t wait for your youngster’s myopia to progress; the earlier treatment begins, the more effective it tends to be. The journey to myopia control begins with an initial consultation. Connect with our Chestermere Optometry team to book an appointment. Together, we can develop a comprehensive myopia control plan to safeguard your child’s sight.
