Making Sense of Myopia
Myopia (or nearsightedness) is one of the most common vision problems today, and it’s getting more and more common. This condition affects everyone from children to seniors, and impairs the ability to learn, drive, and experience the world around us.
According to the Canadian Association of Optometrists, approximately 30% of Canadians have myopia.
More Information About Myopia
How Does Myopia Work?
When the eyeball is too long or the lens is too curved, it causes light to focus in front of the retina rather than directly on the retina. This is the refractive error we call myopia.
Research shows that myopia is genetic, usually presenting in school aged children. Although myopia does tend to stabilize as children grow older, occasionally the refractive error grows more severe as the child reaches adulthood.
Your Options for Correcting Myopia
Glasses
Spectacles are an excellent way to correct your vision while also making a statement about your personal style. We carry an incredible selection of frames in top fashion brands. Plus with transitions, progressives, and a wide variety of protective coatings, you can customize your lenses just as much as your frames. Browse all of our eyewear options.
Contact Lenses
We specialize in fitting your eyes for the perfect contact lenses.
We also offer Orthokeratology (or Ortho-K) lenses. These rigid gas permeable lenses are specially designed to correct myopia overnight. Because the lens is rigid, it gently corrects the shape of the cornea while the wearer sleeps. In the morning, the patient takes out the lenses, and enjoys clear vision all day without further correction.
The cornea slowly returns to its natural shape over the course of the day, so the lenses must be worn every night for treatment to stay effective. Because this treatment is 100% reversible, the wearer can still seek corrective surgery in the future if they so choose, making Ortho-K a great option for children.
Surgery
There are a few surgical options available for the treatment of myopia. Surgical correction is an option more suited to adults, as their eyes have stopped growing. Talk to one of our optometrists to see if any of these procedures are right for you.
LASIK – An ophthalmologist will cut a thin flap in your cornea, folding it back to reveal the inside of your eye. They will then use a special laser to reshape the tissue underneath before replacing the flap.
Radial Keratotomy – Tiny cuts will be made in your cornea, flattening it, and aiding in distance vision. This procedure is usually done one eye at a time.
Phakic IOLs – Phakic IOLs (Intraocular devices) are clear lenses that are implanted under your natural lens. They work very much the same way contact lenses do, however Phakic IOLs are permanent; correcting your vision from the inside of your eye rather than the outside