Myopia Management: Part 1

Hello, my name is Dr. Tran Nguyen, OD and I am one of the Optometrists at Eyedeology in downtown Calgary. I wanted to introduce myself and educate you about Myopia Control. I have been wearing glasses since grade 6 to correct my nearsightedness (also known as myopia). Actually, I know I needed glasses even earlier than that but growing up with a mother who thought I wanted glasses to be like my friends, she didn’t take me into see a local Optometrist until I started failing my math quizzes that were written on the blackboard in class.

My mother also felt that if I wore my glasses too much, that it would increase my prescription (which is only a myth!). Needless to say, my myopic prescription increased regardless of me walking around with blurry vision for most of my school years. Growing up, I was told by my eye doctors that there wasn’t much that could be done about my myopic progression other than playing outdoors more often.

About Myopia (Nearsightedness)

Nearsightedness, otherwise known as myopia occurs when a patient’s eye grows too long. This results in the lens of the eye focusing images on the front of the retina, instead of focusing the image on the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the retina. Myopia can also result due to a cornea that is too curved or a lens that is too thick.

Those that suffer from myopia typically see well enough to read books, mobile devices or even computer screens, however struggle to see anything farther away. Left undiagnosed and untreated, patients may experience chronic headaches due to eyestrain.

Calgary Myopia Control

However, I’m happy to say that in the last few years, exciting research has been done to show successful methods in slowing down the progression of myopia. Yes it’s true; we can help you prevent your prescription from increasing! Orthokeratology, Atropine eye drops, and a soft multifocal contact lens can be used to manage myopia progression. Want to learn more about myopia control treatments? Book in for your consultation today info@eyedeology.ca or call 587-353-5061