Myopia Control in North York

Myopia Management in North York, ON

Empress Eye Clinic provides all effective myopia control options for children, and young adults, to provide them with clear vision, reduce myopia progression and prevent other sight-threatening eye diseases later in their lives. 

Myopia (nearsightedness or shortsightedness) is a condition that distance objects appear blurry. 

Myopia usually begins in childhood, around age six or even younger.

People with high myopia (-5.00 Diaopte or more ) are at a greater risk of developing other sight-threatening eye diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, early cataract, choroidal neovascularization, and retinal detachment.

Myopia Control Center for Children and Young Adults

Empress Eye Clinic offers all clinically effective myopia management options available in Canada. Therefore, our unbiased treatment plan is aimed to provide the best possible choice for each individual and modify it based on their response to treatment.

Myopia (nearsightedness) is affecting more and more children worldwide — the World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized it as a looming public health problem.

Myopia development and progression are multifactorial; therefore, it is vital to assess all contributory factors.

Treating the cause of Myopia, not just the symptoms, is essential.

People with moderate and high Myopia are at increased risk of developing serious sight-threatening eye diseases such as:

-Glaucoma

-Retinal Detachment

-Retinal Tear

-Retinal Hole

-Choroidal Neovascularization is a common cause of Macular Degeneration

-Early Cataract

There is a limited window of time to provide successful myopia control. It is critical to provide the treatment as soon as possible to treat the cause of Myopia (nearsightedness) in children to prevent elongation of their eyeballs and prevent serious myopic-related eye diseases later in their lives.

At Empress Eye Clinic, we focus on reducing the progression of Myopia (nearsightedness) in children and young adults and the risk of myopic-related eye diseases later in their lives.

Our goal is to give every child and young adult with Myopia in North York, Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and Ontario, the best possible opportunity to maintain good eyesight and eye health.

Myopia Control May Include:

– Orthokeratology (Ortho-k) or Corneal Refractive Therapy

– Dual Focus Contact Lenses

– Multifocal Contact Lenses

– Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) lenses

– Bifocal Eyeglasses

– Multifocal Eyeglasses

– Atropine Drops

– Other pharmaceutical agents such as 7-methylxanthine

Parents should consider Myopia Management for their children at its’ early stage to allow a successful treatment to maintain their future eye health.

At Empress Eye Clinic’s Myopia Control Center in North York, Toronto, Ontario, we provide Myopia Management for children and young adults as part of our preventative eye care service.

Dr. Heshmati Answers Your Questions

What is Myopia? What is the progression?

Myopia (nearsightedness) is a vision condition in which you can see close objects clearly, but distant objects are blurry. Myopia is very often progressive, and distance vision worsens over time. The child constantly needs an updated, stronger prescription and new glasses or contact lenses.

At what age does Myopia begin, and when does it stop progressing?

It can start at any age but usually around the school age, although we have few kids younger than 5. Unfortunately, when starting at an early age, it rapidly progresses until age 18. New studies suggest that it also continues throughout the college years but is slower.

Why is the progression of Myopia a health concern?

According to World Health Organization (WHO), about 5,000,000,000 people(50 % of the world’s expected population) will be Myope (nearsighted) by the year 2050, and approximately one billion will be high Myope. People with high Myopia are at much higher risk of developing severe sight-threatening eye diseases, such as Retinal Detachment, Glaucoma, Early Cataract and Myopic Macular Degeneration, later in life.

The risk of developing myopic-related eye diseases becomes more significant as myopia increases. For example, the risk of Myopic Macular Degeneration for someone with -7.00 diopter is 50 times more than someone who is not myopic; The risk will be 200 times for someone with -9.00 diopter Myopia. That’s why early detection is vital to reduce the progression of Myopia. Any single diopter reduction in the progression of Myopia is a big step in reducing the risks of myopic eye disease later in life.

At what age should you start controlling the progression of Myopia?

Because there is a limited window of time to control Myopia’s progression effectively, early intervention is vital. All kids should have a regular annual eye examination and monitor their Myopia. For example, those at higher risk, having two myopic parents, should start the treatment as soon as possible, even before becoming myopic, to delay the Myopia. We recommend myopia control in children and young adults when there is progression regardless of age or other risk factors. The younger the child, the greater the progression. Therefore the earlier the Myopia Management starts, the better.

What is Ortho K/Contact Lenses, and how does it control Myopia?

OrthoKeratology (Ortho K), also known as Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT), is a specially designed Gas Permeable Contact Lens worn overnight. While asleep, the lenses gently reshape the front surface of the eye called the cornea. When removing the lens in the morning, one will see clearly without the need for eyeglasses or contact lenses during the day. Regular eyeglasses and contact lenses correct the central myopic defocus and create peripheral hyperopic defocus. Ortho K lenses control the Peripheral hyperopic defocus, which is the cause of elongation of the eyeball and, therefore, progression of Myopia.

For adults with mild to moderated Myopia, we also fit Ortho K as a safer and reversible alternative for LASIK.

What lifestyle changes can be made to lower the progression of Myopia?

The risk of myopia development and progression is significantly associated with reading at very close distances (<20cm) and for continuous periods (>45 min) rather than being related to the total time spent on all near activities.

New studies have shown kids who spend more time in outdoor activities (at least 2 hours per day) become myopic later, and for those that already are Myope, the rate of progression is lower. Receiving myopia control and being monitored by your optometrist regularly, reducing unnecessary close work, taking breaks every 20 minutes during close work activities, and increasing outdoor activities help reduce Myopia’s progression.

My child is too young for Contact lenses; should they wait to begin myopia control?

While in some cases, contact lenses are the best options for myopia control, Other options such as pharmaceutical agents and specialty designed eyeglasses are also available when the child or parents are not ready for contact lenses. When we fit contact lenses, we ensure we teach our patients how to use and handle them safely. When fitting contact lenses for young children, we teach their parents too. My youngest contact lens patient was a newborn baby who was born with a congenital cataract. After the operation and removal of the cataract, she needed a specialty contact lens to correct her vision for the eyes and vision to develop normally and prevent amblyopia (lazy eye) and other eye and vision problems. When a child is too young to handle the contact lenses, we teach their parents to do the insertion, removal and cleaning for them.

I have heard that Myopia is being called an epidemic. Do you think so? And if so, why is the prevalence increasing so dramatically?

Unfortunately, It is true. Our lifestyle in which kids spend more time indoors and doing close work than outdoor activities is the leading cause of Myopia. Genetics and ethnicity are also known to play a significant role in developing Myopia. Any child has a 25% chance of becoming myopic, if one parent is myopic, the chance will increase to 40%, and if both parents are myopic, there is a 75% chance that their children become Myope. Luckily with Myopia Management and reducing the progression of Myopia, the risks decrease. Any single diopter that we reduce the progression of Myopia is a big step in a child’s well-being in their life.

Do you have any advice for parents?

The best advice to any parent is to have their children’s eyes checked annually and encourage them to spend two hours or more outdoors to be exposed to normal outdoor lighting. Multiple studies suggest exposure to normal outdoor light delays Myopia’s onset and reduces its progression. It also improves their overall health. 

Start Your Myopia Treatment Today 

The first step to maintaining and improving your child’s vision is to ensure they’re receiving regular eye exams. By identifying myopia early, we can effectively deliver treatment.