Myopia – Living
Life Out of Focus
Current research shows
that more and more children
in Canada and around the
world are affected by myopia,
or nearsightedness.
Picture this: You’re giving an eye exam Myopia can put the eyes at risk for serious Ensuring everyone, including children,
to a child who is struggling to name vision-threatening conditions. That’s why have access to better vision is a mission
the letters on the Snellen chart. When the sooner it is diagnosed and treated, Essilor shares alongside eyecare
you tell the parents their child needs the better. And it’s especially important professionals. Every year, we collaborate
vision correction, they seem bewildered for children, as uncorrected myopia can with eyecare professionals to offer an
and ask their child, “Why didn’t you lead to issues now and when they’re average of 25,000 visual screenings in
tell us you couldn’t see?” The child has adults. A 2016 study by the University of schools, to Special Olympic athletes
no answer. Sound familiar? Parents Waterloo found that the rate of myopia and the general public. We also develop
sometimes assume kids can see without in children aged 6 to 8 was 6 percent; in lenses such as Myopilux ® , that correct and
any problems, but about half of myopic pre-teens (11 to 13 year olds) it rose to stabilise children’s myopia, or Eyezen TM ,
children don’t know they can’t see clearly. 28.9 percent. designed to improve visual clarity by
And this number will only continue to
grow since myopia is one of the most
prevalent vision issues, especially in
children. As eyecare professionals, you
know that myopia is more than just a
refractive error issue with blurry vision.
Proactive treatment is needed to prevent
negative consequences for patients now
and later in life because once myopia
progresses, you can’t turn back the clock.
Parents sometimes assume
kids can see without any
problems, but about half of
myopic children don’t know
they can’t see clearly.
As eyecare professionals, you get to
fight myopia on two fronts: educating
parents about how to recognize the
signs of myopia and why their children
need regular, comprehensive eye exams,
and providing each child with the best
solution.
offering more adaption to a child’s
lifestyle to help answer children’s visual
needs.
Essilor Canada is proud to partner
with Canadian eyecare professionals
to improve children’s lives by
improving their sight.
www.essilor.ca