Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common refractive error that affects nearly 30% of Canadians. It causes distant objects to appear blurry while nearby objects remain clear. Myopia most commonly develops during childhood and worsens throughout the teenage years as the eyes grow. Generally, eyesight stabilizes around age 20.
Those with myopia will require glasses or contact lenses to correct their vision and improve their quality of life. And while this can be inconvenient, myopia is also associated with an increased risk of more serious eye conditions, like macular degeneration, retinal detachment, cataracts, and open-angle glaucoma, which can all ultimately lead to blindness.
Yonge Eyes Optometry’s Dr. Awadia has myopia herself and knows first-hand the effects it can have on a person’s quality of life. She has invested a great deal of time in specializing in myopia management so she can better help her littlest patients and reduce their risk of vision loss later in life.
Myopia occurs when the eye grows too long or the cornea becomes too steep. Light that enters the eyes needs to focus directly on the retina for images to appear clear. If the eye’s too long or the cornea too steep, light lands in front of the retina, resulting in blurred distant vision.
Myopia generally develops in children as their eyes grow. The exact cause of myopia in children’s growing eyes is complex, but myopia risk likely increases in those with a genetic predisposition, who spend less time outdoors, and more time on near work.
While there is no cure for myopia, significant advancements have been made in myopia management. Several methods have shown promise in slowing the progression of myopia in younger patients, reducing their level of prescription and long-term risks.
Yonge Eyes Optometry currently offers several treatment options and works closely with you and your child to customize the treatment plan to your child’s unique needs.
Atropine Eye Drops
Low-dose atropine eye drops have been shown to effectively slow myopia progression in children. The exact mechanism for it works is complex, but experts think atropine binds the growth receptors in the eyes, inhibiting the elongation of the eye that causes myopia.
Multifocal Contact Lenses
Multifocal contact lenses have been shown to slow the progression of myopia in children. These lenses are shaped like a bullseye and focus direct light and peripheral light on the retina, prompting the eye to stop growing.
Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) Contact Lenses
Orthokeratology lenses are rigid gas-permeable contact lenses designed to be worn overnight and removed in the morning. The lenses flatten the central cornea, temporarily improving eyesight when the lenses are taken out, removing the need for corrective lenses during the day.
The compression from the lenses also encourages the mid-peripheral cornea to thicken, creating myopic defocus. This defocus is believed to inhibit axial lengthening of the eye, slowing myopia progression overall.
Your child’s myopia management plan will be carefully monitored and reviewed by Dr. Awadia. You’ll be required to bring your child in every 6 to 12 months so Dr. Awadia can assess chosen treatment’s effectiveness and make any necessary adjustments.
Dr. Awadia has created a welcoming, whimsical Hogwarts-themed clinic to make her youngest patients as comfortable and happy as possible during their visits. If you have questions about this refractive error and how Dr. Awadia can help your child, the first step is to reach out to us and book a children’s eye exam. We can take it from there.
Our clinic is located on Yonge Street, right beside the Royal Bank. We’re on the second floor, so we are not wheelchair accessible at this time. But, if you have a stroller, please call ahead, and we would be happy to help you up the stairs.
Located in Yonge Lawrence Village
*please call to confirm hours
My daughter did Vision Therapy with April, who was fantastic! It was life changing for my daughter. School was exhausting for her, reading was challenging and not fun – everything was hard and emotional. The Vision Therapy helped my daughter tremendously! She is now so much calmer and more confident at school. She actually now enjoys school and is an avid reader. We didn’t just notice the difference, her teachers noticed the difference as well.
It was challenging to find a program in Toronto for my daughter that didn’t involve year long wait lists. Dr Awadia and her team were incredibly accommodating and supportive through the whole process.
My daughter has been seeing Dr. Awadia for a few years. She did vision therapies at Dr. Awadia’s clinic, which helped her significantly in her reading speed. We are so thankful for Dr. Awadia’s expertise
I’m so glad I found this place, all of the staff are incredible. I’ve been here for an emergency visit as well as regular appointments and they have taken fantastic care of me every time. I have nothing but positive things to say about Dr Awada and the team. HIghly recommend!
Dr. Awadia was great with both my kids, but I was more impressed that she was able to get my 3 year old to sit through the various eye exams. She’s extremely patient and has many different ways to engage the younger set. Really happy to have found her and in my local neighbourhood.
From the moment I walked through the door, the staff were very friendly and helpful. Dr Awadia and her staff were very thorough, both, in the tests and in their explanation of the procedures and the results. I could not have had a better experience. I will definitely recommend them and they have earned a customer for life.
Yonge Eyes Optometry
