SOFT CONTACT LENSES
FOR MYOPIA CONTROL
SOFT CONTACT LENS THERAPY
There are two brands of daily disposable soft contact lenses that are Health Canada and FDA approved for myopia control in children. To be effective theses lenses are worn a minimum of 6 days a week, 10-12 hours per day and are disposed of on a daily basis. The two brands that are approved in Canada are the CooperVision MiSight and Acuvue Abiliti lenses. We have children as young as 8 years of age successfully wearing these lenses. Their efficacy is in the 50-60% range, similar to spectacle lenses.
HOW DO SOFT CONTACT LENSES CONTROL MYOPIA?
Soft contact lenses that control myopia also rely on a principle called peripheral defocus. The centre part of the contact lens focusses the image directly onto the retina providing sharp clear vision in the distance (gold region shown in the image). The peripheral or side vision portion of the lenses (in pink) focus the image in front of the retina. Focusing our peripheral vision in front of the retina seems to be a strong slowing signal for eye growth and in return slowing down prescription change. Some researchers feel that traditional soft contact lenses lenses may actually accelerate prescription change in children.
Myopia Soft Contact Lens Options
