Myopia Control in Calgary
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common vision issue that’s typically corrected with glasses or contact lenses. It occurs when the eye grows longer than normal, making it harder to see things at a distance.
Most cases of myopia present between the ages of 6-14. Typically, myopia will progress each year until the child reaches around 20 years old. This causes frustration to parents and children as the glasses get thicker and more expensive. On top of this, there is a critical point at -6.00D. When this threshold is passed, the eyeball has become so long that the lifetime risk of retinal detachment is increased 20 times greater than people without myopia. There is also an increased risk of cataracts at a young age and glaucoma.
For both practical and medical reasons, we are highly motivated to limit the development of myopia in children’s eyes. Over the past several years, new options have been developed to reduce the progression of myopia in kids. At the Glenmore Landing Vision, we actively use three strategies for myopia control:
Low-Dose Atropine Drops
Atropine is a heart medication that has been used topically to dilate pupils for decades. The normal concentration is 1%. The eye drops are compounded at around 0.04% and instilled in the child’s eyes each night. Scientific studies determined that using low dose atropine can slow the progression of myopia by 60%.
Certain risks and side effects can accompany low-dose atropine drops, so be sure to discuss this option with your optometrist at your appointment. We have seen great success in using this strategy with our young patients.
Available Resources:
Academic Living
https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD014758.pub2/fullb)
The International Myopia Institute
Acuvue Abiliti and Misight Disposable Contact Lenses
The new Acuvue Abiliti and Misight daily disposable contact lenses use peripheral optics to trick the eye into not growing longer. These lenses are smaller with children in mind and accommodate children as young as seven years old.
The Misight was the first lens approved for myopia control by health Canada. A few years later the Abiliti came to the market using more advanced material. Both lenses have been shown to slow the progression of myopia by at least 60%.
These lenses have to be worn 6 days a week, 10+ hours a day to get maximum effect.
Available Resources:
a) https://www.clearvisionforyou.com/en-ca/myopia/abiliti-1-day/
Stellest Glasses Lenses
The most recent strategy we adopted is Stellest glasses lenses. These lenses can be used in most normal glasses’ frames. Stellest lenses work under a similar strategy to the contact lenses, and likewise need to be worn full time to be fully effective. The lens surface has subtle lenslets that form a pattern that make the lenses effective. Ask to see a sample in our office.
Stellest glasses lenses solve the problems of astigmatism and contact lens intolerance/anxiety in children. They come with excellent warranties that we can explain in store. The Stellest lenses claims a 67% reduction in myopic progression.
Available Resources:
a) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10888677/
b) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002939423001472
c) https://www.ajo.com/article/S0002-9394(23)00351-3/fulltex
Explore Our Blogs and Find out More about Myopia Control
