Putting Your Child’s Visual Health First
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is showing up in children earlier than ever before, and it often gets worse as they grow. About 30% of Canadians are already nearsighted, and that number is projected to increase.
But there’s good news: with the right care, we can slow that progression and reduce the risk of long-term eye health problems. Our team offers proven myopia management solutions tailored to your child’s unique vision and lifestyle.
From MiSight and ortho-k contact lenses to prescription drops and glasses, we are here to support your child’s eye health every step of the way. Contact us to book your child’s next eye exam today, and let’s build a plan to protect their future vision.
What Is Myopia?
Myopia is commonly known as nearsightedness. It occurs when the eyeball is either too long or the cornea has too much curvature. When the eye has an irregular shape, light is unable to focus properly on the retina, allowing for clear close-up vision but making far-off objects appear blurry.
Vision stabilizes around the age of 20, so kids with myopia are susceptible to myopia’s continual progression for many years. Conditions like retinal detachment and cataracts increase with high myopia, so early detection and control can protect your child’s ocular health.
Creating Your Child’s Myopia Management Plan
We use diagnostic tools to understand how your child’s eyes are changing and to guide every decision in their treatment plan. These technologies give us the clarity we need to deliver precise, personalized care.
Our key diagnostic tools include:
- Corneal topography to create a detailed map of the eye’s surface for accurate ortho-k fitting
- Axial length measurements to track how quickly the eye is growing and measure treatment effectiveness
With this information, we can monitor progress, catch early signs of rapid change, and adjust the plan as needed to protect your child’s long-term vision.
Our Approach to Myopia Management
Uncontrolled myopia can lead to a higher risk of:
- Retinal detachment
- Glaucoma
- Cataracts
- Myopic macular degeneration
At Downtown Eye Care, we use a variety of proven tools and strategies to monitor and manage myopia. Every child’s eyes are different, so we tailor our plans based on prescription changes, eye structure, and risk factors.
The earlier we intervene, the more we can do to help preserve healthy vision into adulthood.
MiSight 1 day lenses are specially designed for children aged 8–12 with progressive myopia. These daily disposable lenses provide clear vision while actively slowing the elongation of the eye that causes myopia to worsen.
With over a decade of research and strong clinical backing, MiSight is a safe, convenient, and effective first-line option for kids starting their myopia control journey.
Abiliti lenses are individually prescribed and tailored to your child’s eyes, offering a unique combination of comfort, vision correction, and proven myopia control.
These lenses not only improve everyday clarity but also help manage axial eye growth, a key factor in long-term eye health. Ideal for active children, Abiliti lenses support both vision and lifestyle.
Ortho-k lenses (including Paragon CRT lenses and Precision’s Be Free and MoonLens) are custom-moulded rigid contact lenses worn while sleeping. Overnight, they gently reshape the front surface of the eye, allowing your child to enjoy clear, lens-free vision during the day.
Ortho-k has been shown to significantly reduce the progression of myopia and is especially helpful for kids who prefer not to wear lenses during school or sports.
Low-dose atropine is a well-studied option for slowing myopia in children. Taken once daily at bedtime, these medicated eye drops help reduce eye growth by relaxing the focusing mechanism inside the eye.
Atropine can be especially useful for younger children or for those who are not ready for contact lenses. It’s often used alone or in combination with other treatments for enhanced results.
We offer spectacle lens options designed to slow the progression of myopia in children. These lenses from trusted brands like Hoya MiYOSMART and ZEISS MyoVision Pro look and feel like regular glasses but use modern optical designs to manage eye growth.
For some patients, a single treatment may not be enough. That’s why we offer customized combination plans, such as pairing ortho-k with low-dose atropine, to target multiple aspects of myopia progression.
Our goal is to create a plan that fits your child’s needs, vision goals, and comfort level.
Support Healthy Vision for the Long Term
Spending more time outdoors can play a role in preventing the onset of myopia. Research suggests that just 76 minutes of outdoor play each day can significantly reduce the risk. While outdoor time cannot reverse existing myopia, it supports overall health and eye development.
If your child has already been diagnosed with high myopia, the Canadian Association of Optometrists recommends eye exams every 6 months to closely monitor their vision.
We’re here to help you stay one step ahead. Let’s build a personalized myopia care plan that protects your child’s sight for years to come.
Come visit our team
We’re located in Suite 216 in the 350 Sparks Street Office. We share an underground parking garage with the Hilton Garden Inn at 361 Queen Street. The parking garage can be accessed via Queen Street.
Our Address
- 350 Sparks Street, Suite 216
- Ottawa, ON K1R 7S8
Contact Information
- Phone: 613-238-5960
- Fax: 613-800-0385
- Email: info@downtowneyecare.ca
Hours Of Operation
Check Out Our Google Reviews
View Our Blogs
Are Blue Eyes More Sensitive to Light?
Eye ConditionsYes, people with blue eyes may be more sensitive to light compared to those with darker eye colours. […]
Why Pediatric Eye Exams Matter More Than You Think
Eye ExamsPediatric eye exams are useful for detecting vision problems early and supporting healthy development across every stage of childhood. […]
Read More… from Why Pediatric Eye Exams Matter More Than You Think
When to Seek Emergency Eye Care: Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore
Eye Care, Eye Conditions, Eye HealthIf you experience sudden vision loss, injury, or chemical exposure, it’s time to seek emergency eye care immediately. Understanding the symptoms and acting fast can help protect your vision and overall eye health. […]
Read More… from When to Seek Emergency Eye Care: Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore
Are Blue Eyes More Sensitive to Light?
Yes, people with blue eyes may be more sensitive to light compared to those with darker eye colours. […]
Why Pediatric Eye Exams Matter More Than You Think
Pediatric eye exams are useful for detecting vision problems early and supporting healthy development across every stage of childhood. […]
Read More… from Why Pediatric Eye Exams Matter More Than You Think
When to Seek Emergency Eye Care: Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore
If you experience sudden vision loss, injury, or chemical exposure, it’s time to seek emergency eye care immediately. Understanding the symptoms and acting fast can help protect your vision and overall eye health. […]
Read More… from When to Seek Emergency Eye Care: Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore
Our Contact Lens Brands
Eye Exams
Specialty Eye Exams
Our Optical
Downtown Eye Care & The Contact Lens Department
- 350 Sparks Street, Suite 216
- Ottawa, ON K1R 7S8
- 613-238-5960
- 613-800-0385
- info@downtowneyecare.ca