Myopia Control for Kids and Teens at Stonebridge Eyecare
The prevalence of myopia is growing at a startling rate, particularly among younger individuals. Myopia, or nearsightedness, can change over time, often resulting in a new glasses prescription at every eye exam.
Fortunately, we have ways of controlling myopia progression that give us hope for the future. At Stonebridge Eyecare, we provide personalized consultations, evidence-based myopia control methods, and ongoing monitoring to support your child’s developing vision.
If your child is nearsighted, we encourage you to schedule an appointment to discuss how myopia control may benefit your child’s long-term vision health.
Signs Your Child May Have Myopia
Children often assume everyone sees the world exactly as they do, which means they rarely report vision changes on their own. Parents can watch for several common behaviours that may indicate a child is struggling with nearsightedness, including:
- Squinting or closing one eye to view distant objects
- Sitting unusually close to the television, tablets, or computer screens
- Holding books, phones, or schoolwork very close to their face
- Complaining of frequent headaches or strained, tired eyes after school
- Rubbing their eyes repeatedly during or after visual tasks
- Showing a reduced attention span or a sudden drop in academic or athletic performance
How Myopia Impacts Eye Health
Progressive myopia causes the eyeball to elongate abnormally from front to back during childhood growth spurts. Beyond requiring stronger corrective lenses each year, rapid elongation stretches the delicate internal tissues of the eye, increasing physical strain on the retina and optic nerve.
Leaving progressive nearsightedness unmanaged can lead to high myopia, which significantly increases the risk of developing sight-threatening conditions later in life. Individuals with high myopia face higher rates of retinal detachment, glaucoma, early-onset cataracts, and myopic macular degeneration.
Risk Factors that Contribute to Myopia
Several key risk factors contribute to how quickly myopia develops and progresses in children, such as:
- Genetics: Having one or both parents with nearsightedness increases a child’s likelihood of developing myopia.
- Lack of outdoor time: Spending limited time outdoors in natural daylight is strongly linked to higher rates of myopia progression.
- Prolonged near work: Extended periods spent reading, studying, or viewing digital screens without taking visual breaks strain the eye’s focusing system.
How Myopia Control Makes a Difference
The primary goal of myopia control is to slow down the rate at which a child’s prescription changes, helping stabilize their vision at a lower prescription level than would occur without management. By slowing down the physical lengthening of the eye, these strategies help maintain long-term eye health.
Because eye elongation cannot be reversed once it occurs, starting myopia control early is critical. Initiating management at the first signs of nearsightedness gives your child the most effective opportunity to reduce future prescription changes as they grow into adulthood.
Our Myopia Control Methods
We offer a range of myopia management options tailored to your child’s daily routines, preferences, and visual demands. Whether your child is active in swimming, plays contact sports, or prefers wearing glasses, our optometrists select treatment plans suited to their specific lifestyle.
Depending on maturity and parental guidance, children as young as 6 or 7 years old can be successfully fitted with contact lenses if interested and deemed ready by their parents and optometrist.
MiSight 1 Day lenses are soft, single-use contact lenses designed specifically for pediatric myopia management. These lenses feature treatment zones that correct distance vision while simultaneously focusing peripheral light in front of the retina to signal the eye to slow its growth.
Because they are discarded at the end of each day, they offer a hygienic option that eliminates the need for lens cleaning. The lenses have been shown to reduce myopia progression by 59% on average compared to single vision lenses.
Multifocal contact lenses feature distinct focal power zones that allow clear central vision for daily tasks while altering how light hits the peripheral retina. This altered light focus helps slow down the signals that cause the eyeball to lengthen. They are a practical option for active kids and teens who prefer not to wear glasses during sports or outdoor play.
Multifocal glasses use specialized spectacle lens designs, such as progressive or executive bifocal lenses, that provide clear distance vision in the upper portion and a lower power in the lower portion for near work.
These lenses reduce focusing strain during prolonged reading or screen use, providing a reliable alternative for children who are not yet ready for contact lenses.
Low-dose atropine eye drops are prescription drops administered once daily at bedtime to help slow down eye elongation. Unlike higher concentrations, low-dose atropine manages prescription changes with minimal effects on pupil size or near focusing comfort.
Low-dose atropine can be prescribed as a standalone treatment or used in conjunction with optical methods, such as multifocal glasses or contact lenses, for a combined approach.
Protecting Your Child’s Vision for the Future
Managing progressive nearsightedness during childhood and adolescence helps safeguard your child’s long-term eye health and visual clarity. At Stonebridge Eyecare, we are dedicated to guiding your family through every stage of your child’s visual development with customized care and consistent monitoring.
Contact Stonebridge Eyecare today to book an eye exam and myopia consultation for your child to receive advice specific to their needs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Myopia Control
Myopia control refers to specialized eyewear and prescription eye drops designed to slow down the progression of nearsightedness in children and teens. By reducing how quickly prescription changes occur, these methods help support your child’s long-term visual health.
No, myopia cannot be cured or reversed because the physical lengthening of the eyeball cannot be undone once it occurs. However, starting a myopia control program early can help slow down future prescription changes as your child grows.
Extended screen time and continuous near work are contributing factors that have been linked to the increasing prevalence of myopia in kids. Balancing digital device use with regular visual breaks and daily outdoor activity helps support overall visual development.
Children can begin myopia management as soon as nearsightedness is diagnosed. If you notice changes in your child’s sight, schedule a children’s eye exam with our team to discuss early intervention options.
If your child requires stronger glasses prescriptions at each annual checkup or frequently squints to see distant objects, they may benefit from active management. Book a children’s eye exam at our clinic to evaluate your child’s eye health and determine if a treatment plan is appropriate.
We offer several customized strategies, including MiSight 1 Day contact lenses, multifocal glasses and contact lenses, and low-dose atropine eye drops based on your child’s comfort and lifestyle. Contact our clinic today to book a children’s eye exam to learn more.
Visit Our Location
We’re located in Stonebridge, on the corner of Cope Lane and Stonebridge Boulevard. Find us next to the Saskatoon Dermatology Centre and Stonebridge Dental Centre. Free parking is available.
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Contact Information
- Phone: 306-664-2638
- Fax: 306-653-5822
- Email: secadmin@yxevision.ca
After Hours Emergencies: 306-371-9911
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