Protecting Growing Eyes with Myopia Control
Myopia, or nearsightedness, makes distant objects look blurry while near vision remains clear.
Across the world and right here in Saskatoon, myopia is becoming increasingly common in children, often starting in early childhood and progressing as they grow. Rather than simply updating glasses prescriptions each year, proactive care can slow down how quickly vision changes.
At Broadway Eyecare, we offer personalized consultations, evidence-based myopia control methods, and ongoing monitoring to support your child’s developing vision.
Recognizing the Signs of Myopia in Children
Children often adapt to vision changes without realizing their sight is impaired. While squinting is a well-known indicator, myopia can also present as subtle behavioural shifts that affect daily learning and play.
- Sitting unusually close to televisions, tablets, or computer screens
- Holding books or toys right up to their face while reading or playing
- A reduced attention span during classroom learning or visual activities
- Frequent eye rubbing, excessive blinking, or complaints of tired eyes
- Avoiding outdoor sports or activities that require clear distance vision
- Closing or covering one eye when trying to focus on something far away
If you notice any of these signs in your child, bring them in for a comprehensive eye exam.
How Myopia Affects Long-Term Eye Health
Myopia occurs when the eyeball grows slightly too long from front to back. As the eye stretches, the light-sensitive tissues inside are pulled thinner.
Higher levels of myopia increase the long-term risk of severe eye conditions later in life, including retinal detachment, glaucoma, early-onset cataracts, and myopic macular degeneration. Managing optical changes during childhood helps preserve the structural health of the eye well into adulthood.
Risk Factors for Progressive Myopia
Several genetic and environmental factors influence how rapidly a child’s nearsightedness develops and progresses over time.
- Genetics: Children with one or two nearsighted parents face a significantly higher likelihood of developing myopia.
- Extended near-work: Spending long periods reading, studying, or using digital screens without breaks puts continuous strain on growing eyes.
- Limited outdoor time: Spending fewer hours in natural sunlight outdoors is linked to faster eye elongation and progression.
How Myopia Control Supports Your Child’s Future
Myopia control focuses on slowing down the physical growth of the eyeball during peak development years. By slowing this elongation, management treatments keep your child’s prescription lower than it would otherwise become.
A lower final prescription means clearer natural sight without correction and a significantly reduced risk of developing vision-threatening eye diseases later in life. Investing in early management provides your child with a stronger visual foundation for their school years and beyond.
Evidence-Based Myopia Control Treatments
No single treatment fits every child, which is why we customize care based on your child’s age, daily routine, and eye growth patterns through continuous monitoring.
Whether your child is active, playing sports, dancing, or swimming, or prefers the comfort of glasses over trying contact lenses, we have methods available for them. Choosing which method is right for your child includes an evaluation and a conversation with you and your child.
MiSight 1 Day contact lenses are soft, single-use lenses specifically designed for children with progressing myopia. They feature special optical zones that focus light in a way that signals the eye to slow its growth. Children wear a fresh pair every day, making them clean, convenient, and easy to handle.
Multifocal soft contacts contain distinct power rings that provide clear central distance vision while gently altering peripheral focus. This specific light distribution helps slow the stimulus that triggers the eyeball to stretch longer. They offer an active, frame-free alternative for kids participating in sports or hobbies.
Specialized multifocal glasses feature custom lens designs that offer clear distance correction alongside specialized focusing zones for close-up viewing. These lenses reduce the strain on young eyes during extended reading or screen time to help curb progressive changes. They serve as a comfortable, non-invasive option for children who are not yet ready for contacts.
Low-dose atropine drops are specialized eye drops applied once daily at bedtime to help prevent rapid prescription changes. They work gently on the eye’s focusing mechanism without significantly affecting pupil size or near vision during the day. This treatment is often combined with corrective glasses or contact lenses for comprehensive management.
Protecting Your Child’s Vision for Tomorrow
Proactive myopia control offers a meaningful opportunity to safeguard your child’s sight before irreversible physical changes occur within the eye. Our dedicated team is here to provide guidance, advice, and clear information every step of the way.
By acting early, you can help slow prescription changes, protect your child’s long-term eye health, and support their everyday confidence. Reach out to Broadway Eyecare today to discuss how we can partner in caring for your child’s developing visual needs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Myopia Control
Myopia control refers to specific treatments designed to slow down the progression of nearsightedness in growing children. These evidence-based options help keep your child’s vision prescription lower over time.
Children can typically begin myopia control treatments as soon as progressive nearsightedness is detected, often around six to eight years of age. Your optometrist will evaluate your child’s specific eye health to recommend an appropriate starting time.
Myopia causes structural elongation of the eyeball, which means existing prescription changes cannot be undone or reversed. However, myopia control treatments effectively help slow down further progression as your child grows.
Yes, MiSight 1 Day lenses are specifically approved for pediatric use and designed with soft, gentle materials. With proper hygiene guidance from our team, children adapt quickly and handle their daily lenses responsibly. We’ll work with you and your child to determine if they are ready to try contact lenses.
Myopia control treatments usually continue throughout the primary growing years when vision changes rapidly, often until mid-to-late adolescence. Regular checkups allow your optometrist to adjust the treatment plan as your child’s eye growth stabilizes.
Encouraging your child to spend at least two hours outdoors daily and take regular screen breaks helps support healthy eye development. While lifestyle habits are beneficial, combining them with clinical myopia control methods offers the most consistent results.
Visit Our Location
We’re conveniently located on the corner of Broadway and Main Street, just down the street from Oskayak High School. There is paid street parking in front of our office and more parking in the lot behind the building.
Our Address
Contact Information
- Phone: 306-653-2993
- Fax: 306-653-2995
- Email: bwecadmin@yxevision.ca
After Hours Emergencies: 306-371-9911
Hours of Operation
*Closed, but we’d be happy to see you at InVision Eyecare, Stonebridge Eyecare, Pinehouse Eyecare, Brighton Eyecare, Warman Eyecare, or Northern Lights Eyecare!
Check Out
Our Broadway Clinic
See What Our Patients Are Saying
