Prioritizing Your Child’s Long-Term Vision
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common vision problem that impacts about 30% of the population. Myopia causes distant objects to appear blurry, and when it develops in childhood, it can often progress quickly, leading to worse vision at each exam.
Myopia is more than just a need for glasses; it is a condition that can impact your child’s lifelong eye health. By focusing on myopia control today, we aim to preserve visual clarity and significantly reduce the risks associated with high myopia.
Early intervention helps ensure your child’s eyes remain healthy as they grow, protecting them from the potential complications of a high prescription. It also helps reduce how quickly they advance from one prescription to another.
Interested in learning more about myopia control? Book an eye exam for your child today.
Understanding Progressive Myopia
Progressive myopia occurs when a child’s eye grows too long too quickly, causing distance vision to deteriorate rapidly.
Without intervention, this lengthening continues throughout childhood, requiring stronger prescriptions every year and increasing the risk of serious eye health issues later in life.
Risk Factors for Myopia
Myopia is associated with certain risk factors and daily habits, including:
- Genetics or family history of myopia
- Near reading distance
- Excessive screen time
- Lack of outdoor time
There are some easy ways to reduce the risk of myopia for your children, including setting limits on screen time and encouraging more outdoor play. Additionally, bringing them in for annual eye exams allows us to detect signs of myopia early and begin a treatment plan to slow its progression.
Why Myopia Management Matters
Managing myopia is essential not only to preserve your child’s visual clarity but also to reduce the risk of serious eye conditions that can result from high myopia.
Higher levels of myopia significantly increase the lifetime risk of serious conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, myopic maculopathy, and retinal detachment. Specifically, if a child’s eye grows longer than 26mm, their risk of vision impairment is 25%—and if it reaches 30mm, that risk skyrockets to 90%. Every -1.00D of progression prevented reduces these long-term health risks.
Myopia Control Methods We Offer
We utilize modern diagnostic technology and evidence-based treatments to slow myopia progression and protect your child’s sight.
To monitor their eyes for signs of myopia and track changes after diagnosis, we use a biometer to measure their axial length. This is the measurement of the length of their eye from front to back, and is a key indicator of progressive myopia. In some cases, your child’s axial length may indicate myopia before their vision is affected.
The earlier we detect myopia and begin their treatment plan, the more effectively we can reduce their level of myopia. Our goal is to help their prescription stabilize at a lower level than it would without intervention, reducing their risk of complications.
Our treatment methods include:
- Myopia Control Glasses: Specialized Stellest lenses designed by Essilor to provide clear vision while signalling the eye to slow myopia progression and elongation.
- Myopia Control Contact Lenses: Specially designed soft contact lenses, Acuvue Abiliti® 1-Day contacts include treatment zones to correct central vision and slow myopia progression.
- Atropine Eye Drops: Medicated low-dose eye drops proven to effectively slow down the progression of nearsightedness. They are administered at night, before bed.
We will discuss treatment options with you and your child and determine which option fits their needs. As we monitor their eyes throughout the treatment, we may make recommendations to add combination treatments, such as atropine eye drops and corrective lenses, for increased efficacy.
Partner With Us for Your Child’s Eye Health
Investing in myopia management today is an investment in your child’s future. By combining diagnostic technology with personalized treatment plans, we can help stabilize your child’s vision and safeguard their long-term eye health. Our professional team is here to guide you through every step of this journey with care and expertise.
Ready to protect your child’s sight? Book their eye exam today.
CAN YOUR GLASSES DO THIS?
For individuals ready to step into the future, we carry Ray-Ban and Oakley Meta AI glasses. Listen to music, take a phone call, or capture a video, all from your glasses.
Or enhance your connections with Nuance Audio Glasses for directional hearing amplification.
OUR FEATURED EYEWEAR BRANDS
Visit Our Location
We’re located on First Street, just across from the Lord Dufferin Centre. Parking is available behind the building with an accessible parking stall beside the entrance to the lot.
Our clinic has an accessible exam lane to accommodate individuals with wheelchairs or other mobility aids.
Our Address
Contact Information
- Phone: 519-941-6761
- Email: info@orangevilleoptometrists.ca
Our Hours
*Open on alternating Saturdays. Book an appointment in advance.
Our Google Reviews
What Patients are Saying
Amazing Doctors. Friendly and knowledgable staff. Makes the whole experience a pleasure. Highly recommended.
– Maureen
Prompt diagnosis of uveitis. Saved my vision. Forever greatful, thank you Dr. Costanzo
– G B
I have been seeing Dr Leblanc for years and now bring my son to see him as well. He is such a pleasure to deal with and although we only see him yearly, he remembers what’s going on in our lives and asks questions. He’s the best!
The reception staff are great as well!
– Trina
I’ve been going here for years. The staff are extremely helpful and very friendly. I especially find they answer all my questions and any concerns that I may have regarding eye care or even the right lenses to choose from. It’s always a pleasure to go there whether replacing my out dated frames or purchasing new frames and lenses for my eye care. They always inform me of specials too so I can add an additional option if desired.
– Kim
We drove from London for our appointment because they had my fiancé’s files. It was very worth the drive there. They were thorough, professional and friendly. We are very happy with our visit and look forward to returning soon to pick up the four new pairs of glasses!
Thank you to all the staff, Dmytro and Marlene
– June
