Myopia Control in North York

Myopia Control in North York, Toronto, ON

Empress Eye Clinic provides all effective myopia control treatment for children and young adults to reduce myopia progression, prevent other sight-threatening eye diseases later in their lives, and maintain clear vision. Myopia, also known as nearsightedness or shortsightedness, typically starts in childhood, around age six or earlier.

Individuals with high myopia (-5.00 Diopters or more) have a higher risk of developing serious eye conditions, such as glaucoma, retinal detachment, retinal tear, retinal hole, choroidal neovascularization, and early cataract.

At Empress Eye Clinic’s Myopia Control Center, we offer all clinically effective myopia management options available in Canada. Our personalized treatment plans aim to provide the best possible choice for each individual and modify it based on their response to treatment. We focus on treating the cause of myopia, not just its symptoms, and aim to assess all contributory factors.

Our myopia control methods may include the following:

• 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 early on to allow for successful treatment and prevent serious myopic-related eye diseases later in life. At Empress Eye Clinic, we strive 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.

Our Myopia Control is part of our preventative eye care service, where we provide myopia management for children and young adults. Contact Empress Eye Clinic today for effective myopia control options.

Dr. Heshmati Answers Your Questions

Q: What is Myopia, and how does it progress?
A: Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is a vision condition where close objects appear clear, but distant objects appear blurry. Myopia is often progressive, meaning distance vision worsens over time. As a result, the child may require a stronger prescription and new glasses or contact lenses frequently.
Q: At what age does Myopia typically begin, and when does it stop progressing?
A: Myopia can start at any age, but it typically begins around the school age, although some children may develop it before age five. Unfortunately, when it starts at an early age, it progresses rapidly until age 18. New studies suggest that it continues throughout college but at a slower pace.
Q: Why is the progression of Myopia a health concern?
A: The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that by the year 2050, 50% of the world’s population (about 5,000,000,000 people) will be nearsighted. Furthermore, if not intervened, approximately one billion people will have high Myopia, increasing their risk of severe sight-threatening eye diseases, such as retinal detachment, glaucoma, early cataracts, and myopic macular degeneration. As myopia increases, the risk of developing myopic-related eye diseases also increases. For instance, a person with a -7.00 diopter myopia is 50 times more likely to develop myopic macular degeneration than one without myopic. The risk increases to 200 times for someone with -9.00 diopter myopia. Early detection and treatment of Myopia are vital to reducing the risk of developing these eye diseases later in life.
Q: At what age should Myopia progression be controlled?
A: Since there is a limited window of time to control myopia progression effectively, early intervention is vital. All children should have a regular annual eye examination and monitor their Myopia. Children at higher risk of developing Myopia, such as those with two myopic parents, should start myopia control treatment as soon as possible, even before becoming myopic, to delay the onset of 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, so the earlier the Myopia Management starts, the better.
Q: What are Ortho K/Contact Lenses, and how does it control Myopia?
A: Orthokeratology (Ortho K) is a type of corneal refractive therapy that involves wearing a specially designed gas-permeable contact lens overnight. While sleeping, the lenses gently reshape the front surface of the eye (the cornea). In the morning, upon removing the lens, one will see clearly without needing eyeglasses or contact lenses during the day. Ortho K lenses control peripheral hyperopic defocus, which is the primary cause of the elongation of the eyeball and, thus, the progression of Myopia.
Q: What lifestyle changes can be made to lower the progression of Myopia?
A: Studies have shown that Myopia’s development and progression are significantly associated with reading at very close distances for extended periods. Children who spend more time outdoors (at least two hours daily) become myopic later in life. For those who are already myopic, the rate of progression is lower. Reducing unnecessary close work, taking breaks every 20 minutes during close work activities, and increasing outdoor activities can help reduce Myopia’s progression.
Q: My child is too young for contact lenses; should they wait to begin myopia control?
A: While contact lenses are an option for myopia control in some cases, 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 fitting contact lenses, we ensure our patients know how to use and handle them safely. We also teach parents how to insert, remove, and clean the lenses when fitting contact lenses for young children. 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 contact lenses, we teach their parents to do the insertion, removal, and cleaning for them.
Q: I have heard that Myopia is being called an epidemic. Do you think so? And if so, why is the prevalence increasing so dramatically?
A: 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 probability increases to 40%. If both parents are myopic, there is a 75% chance that their children will become myopic. With myopia management and reducing the progression of Myopia, the risks decrease. Any single diopter reduction in the progression of Myopia is a big step in a child’s well-being.
Q: Do you have any advice for parents?
A: The best advice for 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 that 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.