Myopia Control Starts Early
Clear vision plays a big role in your child’s confidence, learning, and development. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is becoming more common in kids, and it often starts earlier than you might think.
At Airdrie Family Eye Doctors, we believe in getting ahead of the problem. With different tools, tailored treatment plans, and a warm, supportive approach, we can help your child see clearly today and protect their vision for tomorrow.
We start seeing patients as young as 6 months or earlier if there are signs of concern. Whether your child is newly diagnosed or you’re looking for better ways to control their myopia, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.
Book an eye exam today and let’s support your child’s vision for the long run.
What Causes Myopia?
Myopia occurs when the eyeball grows too long or the cornea is too curved, causing light to focus in front of the retina rather than on it. This makes far-away objects look blurry. Some common signs of myopia in kids can include:
- Trouble seeing the board at school
- Squinting to see things far away
- Sitting too close to screens or the TV
- Holding books very close to the face
- Complaints of headaches or tired eyes
What Is Myopia Control?
Myopia control is all about protecting your child’s long-term vision. It goes beyond simply correcting blurry distance vision. The goal is to slow down how quickly their eyes are changing over time.
By using tailored treatments like myopia control glasses, specialty contact lenses, or low-dose atropine eye drops, we can help slow the rate of eye growth and preserve your child’s visual health. Myopia control is a smart investment in their future vision.
As myopia progresses, especially at a young age, it can lead to high myopia.
Protecting Your Child from High Myopia
High myopia increases the risk of serious eye diseases later in life, even if your child sees well with glasses or contacts now. These risks can include:
- Retinal detachment
- Glaucoma
- Early cataracts
- Myopic macular degeneration
The earlier we begin managing myopia, the better chance we have at protecting your child’s long-term vision health.
What Increases the Risk of Myopia?
Some kids are more likely to develop myopia than others, and understanding the risk factors can help you stay one step ahead. Here’s what to watch for:
- Family history: If one or both parents are nearsighted, there’s a higher chance their child will be too. Genetics play a big role.
- Lifestyle habits: Lots of screen time, reading up close, or not spending enough time outside can all add up. Outdoor play and natural light are key for healthy visual development.
- Age of onset: Myopia often shows up between the ages of 6 and 10. The younger it starts, the more it can progress, so early intervention really matters.
Next-Level Testing with MYAH Technology
To control myopia effectively, we need to know more than just your child’s prescription. That’s where MYAH by Topcon comes in. This device helps us:
- Measure axial length (the length of the eyeball), which is essential for tracking how quickly myopia is progressing.
- Map the shape of the cornea with corneal topography, helping us guide the best treatment choice.
- Check the tear film, which supports comfort and healthy vision, especially if your child is using contact lenses as part of their treatment.
With this technology, we’re not just guessing. We’re watching for subtle changes early, so we can make informed decisions and personalize your child’s myopia control plan.
Our Myopia Control Options
There’s no single solution when it comes to managing myopia, and that’s a good thing. We offer a variety of research-backed treatments that can be tailored to your child’s age, lifestyle, and how quickly their vision is changing.
In many cases, the most effective care plan involves a combination of strategies to help slow eye growth and protect long-term vision.
Multifocal glasses and contact lenses are designed to correct vision at multiple distances, including distance and near vision. They are commonly used to address refractive errors in children with myopia and can help slow the progression of myopia.
We also offer other specialty spectacle lens options like defocus incorporated multiple segments (D.I.M.S.) and cylindrical annular refractive elements (C.A.R.E)
Defocus incorporated multiple segments (D.I.M.S.) is an optical technology designed to revolutionize the way we see the world. By strategically incorporating multiple segments with controlled defocus, D.I.M.S. enhances image sharpness and depth perception in eyecare applications.
This innovative approach offers significant advantages for eyeglass lenses, improving visual clarity and comfort for wearers. D.I.M.S. represents a promising breakthrough in eyecare, providing a new level of precision and realism in correcting vision and ensuring an enhanced visual experience for everyone.
Cylindrical annular refractive elements (C.A.R.E) are an optical innovation that holds great promise in the field of eyecare. These unique elements are designed to manipulate and control light in a way that enhances vision correction and visual comfort for individuals with specific eye conditions.
With their cylindrical shape and central aperture, C.A.R.E can effectively focus light along the cylindrical axis while minimizing unwanted optical distortions. This technology has the potential to revolutionize eyeglass lenses, providing precise and personalized solutions for those with astigmatism or other vision challenges. C.A.R.E represents a significant advancement in eyecare, offering improved visual acuity and an enhanced overall visual experience for patients.
Atropine eye drops are a type of medication that can be used to help slow the progression of myopia. Eye drops are used once a day before bed and are often used in addition to specialty contacts or specialty glasses.
Some kids benefit most from a layered approach, like pairing ortho-k with atropine drops, or using myopia control glasses during the day and monitoring axial length at regular intervals. We’ll work closely with you to build a custom plan that fits your child’s needs, preferences, and lifestyle.
Our Myopia Control Contact Lens Options
Along with our other myopia control methods, we also offer different contact lens options.
Ortho-K (Orthokeratology)
Ortho-k lenses are worn overnight to gently reshape the front of the eye while your child sleeps. In the morning, they remove the lenses and enjoy clear, glasses-free vision all day.
Ortho-k is especially useful for active kids, swimmers, and young athletes who need freedom from daytime eyewear. It also helps reduce myopia progression without the need for daily lenses or drops, making it a great option for busy families.
MiSight 1 Day
MiSight is the first FDA-approved daily contact lens proven to slow myopia progression in children. It provides a clear vision while helping reduce long-term risks, and it’s designed to be safe and comfortable for kids as young as 8.
This soft, single-use lens is a great choice for parents who want a low-maintenance option with strong clinical results.
Acuvue Abiliti
Abiliti 1-Day lenses are a new generation of soft contact lenses built specifically for kids with progressing myopia. They offer comfort, UV protection, and evidence-based performance all in a daily lens designed with little eyes in mind.
With their innovative design and research-backed results, Abiliti lenses support both visual clarity and long-term eye health.
Starting Myopia Control Early
The earlier myopia is diagnosed and controlled, the better the chances of slowing its progression. Children’s eyes grow rapidly, and even small changes can lead to big impacts on their long-term eye health.
Our team provides guidance every step of the way, from regular monitoring and progress checks to ensuring your child is comfortable with their treatment, whether that’s putting in drops, wearing lenses, or both.
Contact us to book an eye exam today to get started with a myopia consultation in Airdrie.
Myopia Frequently Asked Questions
Myopia control comes with a lot of new terms and treatment options, and as a parent, it’s natural to have questions about what’s right for your child. Here are some of the things we get asked most often. If you’re still wondering what the best path forward looks like for your kiddo, that’s exactly what a myopia consultation is for.
Myopia often shows up between ages 6 and 10, and the younger it starts, the more it tends to progress, so early intervention really matters. We start seeing patients as young as 6 months, or earlier if there are signs of concern, so we can catch changes as soon as possible.
Watch for trouble seeing the board at school, squinting at far-away objects, sitting too close to the TV or screens, holding books very close to the face, or complaints of headaches and tired eyes. If any of this sounds familiar, it’s worth booking an eye exam.
It’s more than a prescription issue. As myopia progresses, especially when it starts young, it can lead to high myopia, which raises the risk of serious eye conditions later in life, like retinal detachment, glaucoma, early cataracts, and myopic macular degeneration, even if your child sees clearly with glasses or contacts today.
Myopia happens when the eyeball grows too long or the cornea is too curved, causing light to focus in front of the retina instead of on it. Family history plays a big role (if one or both parents are nearsighted, the odds go up), and lifestyle factors like heavy screen time, lots of close-up reading, and limited time outdoors can contribute too.
Correcting myopia simply sharpens blurry distance vision. Myopia control goes further, it’s about slowing down how quickly your child’s eyes are changing over time, which helps protect their long-term eye health, not just their vision today.
We use MYAH technology by Topcon to measure axial length (the length of the eyeball), map the shape of the cornea, and check the tear film. This lets us watch for subtle changes early and adjust your child’s treatment plan based on real data, not guesswork.
We offer a range of research-backed options, including multifocal glasses and contact lenses, specialty lens designs like D.I.M.S. and C.A.R.E., low-dose atropine drops, and contact lens options like ortho-k, MiSight 1 Day, and Acuvue Abiliti. Many kids do best with a combination approach tailored to their age, lifestyle, and how quickly their vision is changing.
Ortho-k lenses are worn overnight to gently reshape the front of the eye while your child sleeps, giving them clear, glasses-free vision during the day. It’s a popular choice for active kids, swimmers, and young athletes who’d rather not deal with daytime eyewear.
Atropine drops are a well-studied option for slowing myopia progression and are typically used once a day before bed, often alongside specialty contacts or glasses. We’ll walk you through whether they’re a good fit as part of your child’s personalized plan.
Eyes on What Matters Most
Our team believes your eyes deserve more than just a quick once over. We want to help you understand your vision from the inside out.
Got a kiddo who’s squinting at the board or struggling to focus? We use axial length tracking to catch early signs of myopia. Vision therapy can help with amblyopia, strabismus, acquired brain injuries, vision-related learning difficulties, and more! And if dry eyes are driving you nuts, we’ve got relief options.
We’re here to help you see your best, feel your best, and love your eye care experience.
Check Out What
Our Patients Have to Say
Swing by the Practice!
We are located just off Main Street, in the Towerlane Shopping Centre. There is plenty of parking out front, and our team looks forward to welcoming you!
Our Address
- 705 Main St S, Suite 150
- Airdrie, AB T4B 3M2
Contact Information
- Phone: 403-912-2020
- Fax: (403) 912-4620
- Email: reception@airdrieeyes.com
Hours of Operation
Your Frames, Your Story
This Is Us
Eye Exams
Specialty Eye
Exams
See The
Goods
- 705 Main St S, Suite 150
- Airdrie, AB T4B 3M2
- 403-912-2020
- (403) 912-4620
- reception@airdrieeyes.com