MiyoSmart for Myopia Management

Myopia (nearsightedness) affects 1.45 billion people around the world, and the outlook is even bleaker, with an estimated 5 billion people expected to be nearsighted by 2050.

The good news is that there are several ways to slow and even halt myopia’s progression. MiyoSmart optical lenses, developed by Hoya, is one such option.

Why Do Children Develop Myopia?

Myopia (nearsightedness) occurs when the shape of the eyeball elongates, causing light rays to refract incorrectly. This leads to blurred vision when looking at distant objects.

Children with a myopic parent or parents of Asian descent are at a higher risk of developing myopia. Recent research shows that children who spend many hours engaged in near work — homework, reading, working at computers and other digital devices — are also at higher risk of developing myopia.

This is worrying because children with moderate to severe myopia have a higher chance of developing sight-threatening eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and retinal detachment later in life.

While standard eyeglasses and contact lenses can provide clear distance vision, they don’t cure myopia—they simply relieve its symptoms.

What is MiyoSmart?

MiyoSmart is a new type of optical lens that has been shown to control the progression of myopia. In a two-year clinical trial, children who wore glasses with MiyoSmart lenses experienced a 60% reduction in myopia progression.

MiyoSmart uses the latest lens manufacturing technology, developed in cooperation with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The lens consists of a central optical zone for correcting refractive error and then multiple lower-powered rings that extend from the central zone to the edge of the lenses. This design provides both clear vision and myopic defocus simultaneously, which, in turn, controls myopia progression.

The lens fits all eyeglass frames, is impact resistant, and provides UV protection to keep your child’s eyes safe in the sunlight. For more information about MiyoSmart and myopia management, contact Shelburne Primary EyeCare today.

Our practice serves patients from Shelburne, Dundalk, Orangeville, and Mount Forest, Dufferin County and surrounding communities.

Soft Multifocal Lenses For Myopia Management

Myopia is an eye condition that causes the eye to elongate from early childhood into the late teen years. This elongation causes the light to fall in front of the retina rather than on the retina itself, causing far-away objects to appear blurred. Regular glasses or contact lenses correct for poor visual acuity but do nothing to address the elongation of the eye itself.

What many parents don’t realize is that myopia can be dangerous. If your child’s myopia increases each year, the higher the chance that your child will develop sight-threatening conditions like macular degeneration, retinal detachment and glaucoma in the future. At Shelburne Primary EyeCare, we use soft multifocal contact lenses as part of our myopia management program, which can slow or even stop the progression of your child’s myopia.

What Are Soft Multifocal Contact Lenses?

Soft multifocal contact lenses feature three prescriptions in a single lens: one for near distance, one for intermediate distance and one for far distance. These lenses are made of breathable and flexible plastics that allow air to pass through the lens to the cornea for a healthy, comfortable fit, making them suitable for older children and teens. Soft multifocal contact lenses are FDA approved for children 8 years of age and above. Even children with various levels of astigmatism can achieve successful results in managing their myopia with soft multifocal contact lenses.

How Do Soft Multifocal Contact Lenses Slow Myopia Progression?

These contact lenses are worn during the day so your child will see clearly all day without the hindrance of glasses. In addition to correcting distance vision, the design of these lenses has been precisely calculated to allow a child to achieve clear vision for all distances. They allow the light rays entering the eyes from the side of your vision to focus in front of the retina rather than directly onto it. This has been shown to provide subtle feedback to the brain to halt the elongation of the eye, This, in turn, slows or stops myopia from advancing. Children who wear soft multifocal contact lenses usually find that their prescription will no longer rapidly worsen.

We Offer Multifocal Soft Contact Lenses and Other Myopia Treatments

At your first consultation, Dr. Colette Whiting and Dr. Sandra Gillis-Kennedy will assess the extent of your child’s myopia, including corneal shape and refractive error. After this assessment, Dr. Colette Whiting and Dr. Sandra Gillis-Kennedy will recommend the best myopia management treatment options. During this process, patients and parents are encouraged to ask any questions they may have.

Should you choose to proceed with soft multifocal contact lenses, Dr. Colette Whiting and Dr. Sandra Gillis-Kennedy will determine the exact prescription adjustments required and carefully fit the contact lenses to ensure that they sit correctly and comfortably on your child’s eyes. Your child will immediately be able to see clearly. Over time, your child’s myopia progression will slow or even cease, drastically mitigating the long-term risks to their vision.

If you have a child with myopia, or if it’s simply time for your child’s annual checkup, call us today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Colette Whiting and Dr. Sandra Gillis-Kennedy and learn more about our myopia management program.

Our practice serves patients from Shelburne, Dundalk, Orangeville, and Mount Forest, Dufferin County and surrounding communities.