Myopia Control

Myopia (also known as shortsightedness or nearsightedness) is where light entering the eye is focused in front of the retina instead of directly on it. It is typically caused by the elongation of the eyeball which is affected by both genetic and environmental factors.

• Slows myopia progression
• Reduces risk of high myopia
• Lowers risk of associated eye diseases

Myopia often starts during childhood and progresses as children grow. The eye may elongate as a child's body grows, leading to increasing levels of shortsightedness. What is most important about myopia progression is not just the inconvenience of needing thicker lenses as the prescription increases. High myopia, if not managed properly, can increase the risk of other eye conditions, such as retinal detachment, glaucoma and cataracts. This is why it's essential to monitor progression especially in children where it can change rapidly.

Currently we have a few strategies to help slow down myopia progression in children. We can offer a variety of treatments but will recommend those that are currently proven to be the most effective, although the research and data is constantly changing. They include:

• Orthokeratology (Ortho-K/OK lens): Special hard contact lenses worn at night while sleeping to reshape the cornea and temporarily reduce myopia during the day.
• Low dose Atropine eye drops: Specially compounded low concentration of Atropine eye drops (generally 0.01% to 0.05%), typically instilled at night.
• Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) lenses: Special HOYA lenses with technology designed to slow down myopia progression.