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The goal of SPECTRUM Optometry is "Bringing Vision
to Life". As such we are excited to be able to offer
a revolutionary product to enhance the quality of life
for your children. Everyday in our practice parents are
asking how to prevent their child's prescription from
increasing year after year. In the past we were only able
to update glasses prescriptions as vision changed. Now
we have a new therapeutic lens which actually slows the
rate of prescription change for nearsighted (myopic) children.
MyoVision™
Lenses
This product is a therapeutic spectacle lens from ZEISS
which became available in Canada recently. The MyoVision™
lens has been shown in a study by the Australia-based
Vision Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) to slow the progression
of myopia (nearsightedness) in children aged 6 to 12 years
by 30% on average.
These lenses are tailor-made for the specific needs of
myopic children. They provide kids with clear and sharp
central vision and the peripheral design slows myopia
progression. The lenses are made of impact resistance
plastic which blocks ultraviolet rays and have an antireflection
and scratch resistant coating to provide great wearing
comfort.
What
is Myopia?
Myopia is also called nearsightedness. It occurs when
the eyeball grows too long and results in the eye not
being able to see distance objects clearly. If you need
glasses to see a blackboard or for driving, but you can
take your glasses off to read, then you are probably myopic.
It has been shown that 60% of myopic children have at
least one parent that is nearsighted. If one or both parents
are nearsighted the children often start to become myopic
at an earlier age and progressive to a stronger prescription
than their parents.
How
Does Myopia Control Work?
According to Professor Brien Holden, the chief executive
of Vision CRC who led the study; a standard spectacle
lens is designed to fix the central vision, but not the
peripheral (side) vision. In an attempt to "sharpen"
the blurred peripheral images, the eyeball will grow larger
and increase the myopia. The new MyoVision™ lens
is designed to both correct central vision and to move
peripheral images forward so that the eyeball will no
longer try to grow. It takes about half a year for the
effects of the lens to be apparent.
Benefits
of Myopia Control
- Reduced
risk of ocular diseases including retinal detachment.
Myopia causes the eyeball to grow larger. Unfortunately,
the retina which is a thin layer of tissue coating the
inside of the eye, does not grow as much and it can
stretch and thin. With increased myopia the risk of
a retinal detachment increases. If untreated a retinal
detachment leads to blindness. With myopia control,
your child will have less risk of a retinal detachment.
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A smaller prescription. Myopia control means that the
final prescription your child has when they are an adult
will be smaller. If your child was going to have a prescription
of -12 diopters, with myopia control they are more likely
to have a final prescription of -8.50 diopters. If your
child was going to have a final prescription of -6 diopters,
with myopia control they are more likely to have a final
prescription of -4 diopters.
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Thinner and lighter weight glasses. When your glasses
prescription is smaller, your lenses do not have to
be as thick or heavy.
-
Fewer prescription changes. Myopia control means that
your child will be able to use their glasses for longer
before they need a new prescription and the rate of
prescription change is slowed.
Risks
of Myopia Control
- Some
children wearing the MyoVision™ lens reported that
they were aware of blurred side vision when they started
wearing the lens for the first time. One month after
wearing the lens the awareness of blurred side vision
was gone.
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The MyoVision™ lens has not been shown to prevent
all prescription change or to reverse myopia.
Why
is Myopia Control Only for Children?
The MyoVision™ lens works by slowing the progression
of myopia. Myopia is often first diagnosed in children
around age 6 and continues to progress until the mid-20s.
There is no evidence that the MyoVision™ lens reverses
myopia, therefore, for adults who are no longer progressing
this lens has no therapeutic value.
How
to Get the MyoVision™ Lens for My Child?
SPECTRUM Optometry is very excited to be one of the first
clinics in Canada to offer this innovative treatment for
myopia. If your child is myopic, call SPECTRUM Optometry
today at 604-536-2050 to make an appointment for your
child to discuss the benefits of the MyoVision™ lens.
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