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COMPREHENSIVE EYE EXAM

SPECIALTY MYOPIA CONTROL CLINIC

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What is myopia?​

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Myopia is the clinical term for nearsightedness. Nearsighted eyes see nearby objects clearly, while objects far away are blurry without glasses.

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What causes myopia?​

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Researchers are not sure exactly what causes myopia, but it is understood that genetics play an important role. Studies have shown that if a child has one parent who is nearsighted, the child is 2x as likely to develop myopia than if neither of the child's parents were nearsighted. If the child has two nearsighted parents, the child is over 5x more likely to develop myopia.

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Environment also seems to play a role in the development of nearsightedness. Research has found that more time spent outdoors may protect against nearsightedness; factors like circadian rhythm and parents' education level may also play a role.

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Why control myopia?

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Myopia treatments have shown to reduce a person's myopia by up to 60%, which could reduce the need for wearing glasses or contact lenses. Myopia has also been associated with common vision-threatening conditions like cataracts, primary open angle glaucoma and retina detachments. The risk of developing these conditions depends on the severity of myopia; therefore, reducing  a person's myopia could also decrease his or her chances of developing one of these vision-threatening diseases.

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What are some of the treatments for controlling myopia?

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  1. Low dose atropine eye drops

  2. Specialty soft contact lenses e.g., MiSight by Coopervision

  3. Specialty spectacle lenses e.g., MiyoSmart by HoyaVision

  4. Orthokeratology rigid contact lenses e.g., DreamLens

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Talk to one of our doctors today to discuss which option may best suit your child's prescription and lifestyle.

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