MYOPIA CONTROL
What every parent needs to knowMyopia, also known as “short-sightedness” or “near-sightedness”, is a common vision problem as well as an eye health issue every parent should be aware of.
Myopia occurs when the eyeball grows too long causing light to focus in front of the retina (the tissue at the back of the eye), resulting in blurry long-distance vision. Myopia control is an important area of clinical practice that involves optical and pharmaceutical methods to correct vision and slow progress of the condition. Because in most cases of myopia progression can only be slowed, not stopped, it is important treatment is initiated as early as possible.
Prescribing regular spectacle lenses or contact lenses for your child will do nothing to slow the eye from growing. Updating glasses frequently can become expensive, and children can be at risk of sight-threatening conditions in the future.
We can assess your child’s risk for developing myopia. If your child already wears glasses, there are treatments that can slow the progression of myopia.
We use technology such as OCT to measure eyeball length (axial length) to monitor for progression, as well as measuring the prescription on a regular basis. We will recommend the most appropriate myopia control management plans for each individual.
Barry & Sargent Optometrists have access to soft contact lenses specifically designed for myopia control including Coopervision Misight 1-Day lens and VTI NaturalVue 1 Day multifocal. Recent evidence has shown that dual-focus soft contact lenses can show up to a 50 per cent reduction in myopia progression rates and eye growth compared to standard soft contact lenses.
The clinical team at Barry & Sargent Optometrists are experienced in the area of myopia control and continue to advance their knowledge enabling them to provide treatment in line with the latest evidence-based clinical research.