Myopia Control
for All Ages
Myopia is a common vision problem, also known as nearsightedness, that causes distant objects to appear blurry. When myopia develops during childhood, it can progress rapidly, causing changes to their prescription every year.
Myopia is becoming more prevalent and occurring in children at younger ages. Because 80% of childhood learning is visual, myopia can have a negative impact on their academic, athletic, and social development.
At Thompson Rivers Family Optometry, we know that detecting myopia early and effectively managing it can prevent its most severe outcomes. We’re ready to help control myopia in your child so they can keep making the most out of life.
What is
Myopia?
Myopia is a vision condition that impacts how light is refracted in the eye. In a myopic eye, light is focused in front of the retina, rather than directly on it. This causes blurry vision, particularly for distant objects.
When myopia develops during childhood, it is usually progressive. This means that the child’s eyesight continues to worsen, becoming more myopic over time.
What Are the Risks of High Myopia?
High myopia is usually considered to be a prescription of – 6.00 D or more. As myopia progresses during childhood, the eyes grow too long. This can cause high prescriptions and an increased axial length (the distance between the front and back of the eye).
A normal eye length is between 22 and 24 mm. In individuals with high myopia, this length can increase from 25 mm to more than 30 mm. The longer the eye (and the higher the prescription), the more likely that individual may develop serious eye conditions later in life.
A child with a high level of myopia has an increased risk of developing cataracts, glaucoma, retinal detachment, and myopic maculopathy, each of which can cause vision impairment. By detecting and controlling myopia progression as soon as it begins, we can reduce your child’s risk of developing high myopia.
How Is Myopia Detected?
Myopia can be detected through children’s comprehensive eye exams. We monitor your child’s vision through annual eye exams, tracking any changes to their visual acuity and screening for refractive errors that could indicate signs of myopia, even before they need glasses.
We use retinal imaging, an auto-refractor and keratometer device, and sight testing to monitor the health of your child’s eyes and the clarity of their vision. If we notice signs of myopia, we can discuss management options with you and your child.
How We Control Myopia
Myopia control is the practice of slowing myopia progression using specialized eyewear and medicated eye drops. Myopia control cannot stop myopia from progressing completely or reverse vision changes caused by nearsightedness after they occur. That’s why it’s important to detect myopia early, when myopia control is most effective.
We use the following management strategies for myopia control:
- Multifocal contact lenses: Soft multifocal contact lenses with a centre-distance design have been shown to slow myopia progression by up to 25% compared to single-vision lenses. They also correct your child’s eyesight simultaneously.
- Atropine eye drops: Low doses of this medication can slow down myopia’s progression. They are administered at night, before bed.
- Referral to a specialist: If your child is eligible for a referral to a specialist, we will complete a referral. This allows their treatment to be covered under the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP).
Ask Us About Controlling
Myopia Today
Controlling myopia is easy when you start early. By bringing your child in for an eye exam each year, you’re taking a preventive approach to their long-term visual health and preserving their eyesight for the future.
Let us help you care for your child’s eyes. Book an appointment with us to monitor their eye health and find effective strategies for slowing down myopia.
Finding
Our Clinic
We’re located in the Northills Shopping Centre off Tranquille Road. Find our office between the CIBC and the Interior Health clinic on the north side of the mall. For your convenience, our entrance is directly accessible from the parking lot—no mall entry required.
Visit
Our Location
Our eye clinic is conveniently located at the Northills Shopping Centre, next to the CIBC.
Where to Park?
The mall offers spacious parking and accessible parking spaces.
Hours of Operation
*Closed between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM every day for lunch
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Acknowledgement
We’re grateful to live and work on Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc territory, within the unceded ancestral lands of the Secwepemcúĺecw. We acknowledge and respect the history, language, and culture of the Secwépemc people who have lived here since time immemorial. We make this acknowledgement as an act of reconciliation.
About Us
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Thompson Rivers Family Optometry
- 250-376-1985
- 250-376-1309
- office@trfo.ca