Eyelab Logo

分类： 未分类

发表于 通过 Dr. Sherman Tung

Why We Don’t Rely on Prescriptions Alone When Managing Childhood Myopia

If your child’s prescription keeps changing, it’s easy to feel like you’re always reacting instead of getting ahead of the problem. You see the numbers go up year after year, and it feels like you’re stuck watching from the sidelines.

At Eyelab, our team looks beyond the glasses prescription to measure axial length, which can help explain why myopia is progressing, how fast it’s changing, and how myopia treatment is working.

What Axial Length Means for Your Child’s Vision

Axial length is the front-to-back length of the eye, measured in millimetres. Parents often ask this first, so it’s important to understand what this means for your child’s vision.

In children with myopia, the eye grows too long lengthwise. That stretching can contribute to blurry distance vision and raise the risk of certain eye diseases later on.

Here’s the key difference: A glasses prescription tells you how blurry your child’s vision is today. Axial length tells you what the eye is physically doing over time.

Why Prescriptions Alone Can Miss the Full Picture

Your child’s glasses prescription can change slowly, quickly, or sometimes not much at all—even while the eye is still growing longer. This can be misleading for several reasons, including:

  • Prescriptions can change based on focusing effort
  • Growth can continue even when vision seems stable
  • Glasses don’t show whether treatments are slowing eye growth

According to International Myopia Institute consensus reports, axial length is the most reliable way to track myopia progression over time. That’s why many myopia-focused optometrists treat axial length as a core measurement rather than an add-on.

How Eye Growth Affects Your Child’s Future Risk

When your child’s eye grows longer or faster than expected for their age, several things can happen. Myopia may worsen more rapidly, making treatment decisions more time-sensitive.

Early intervention matters because research consistently shows that slowing axial elongation reduces future risk, even if some prescription change still occurs. The goal of modern myopia management isn’t perfection—it’s reducing the risk of high myopia later in your child’s life.

The Eyelab Approach to Myopia Care

At Eyelab, axial length measurement is part of how our eye doctors individualize care for your child. Our team doesn’t believe in a 1-size-fits-all approach to myopia treatment.

Instead, we use axial length data to:

  • Establish a true baseline 
  • Compare growth against age-based averages 
  • Track response to treatment over time 
  • Adjust strategies early

What the Measurement Process Looks Like

As a parent, it’s normal to worry about how your child will feel during a test, especially when it comes to their vision. At our practice, we take a caring approach to make sure you and your child feel comfortable every step of the way. Using the Topcon MYAH device, axial length measurement is quick, noninvasive, and completely safe for children.

Your child simply looks at a target while the instrument measures eye length using light. It’s that simple.

How Often Your Child Needs Follow-Up

Most children in active myopia management at Eyelab are measured every 3–6 months. That schedule helps the eye doctor to catch fast growth early, confirm whether treatment is helping, and decide when changes are actually needed.

This timing mirrors recommendations from professional optometry resources and international myopia management guidelines. Our eye doctors can help determine the right schedule for your child’s specific needs.

Where to Find Axial Length Monitoring Across Canada

Eyelab isn’t alone in Vancouver in taking this approach. Across Canada, clinics focused on evidence-based myopia care are using axial length to guide decisions, not just prescriptions.

If you’re looking for clinics that include axial length measurement as part of myopia care, here are examples across Canada:

The International Myopia Institute consensus reports emphasize early detection, consistent monitoring, and objective tracking, which is why axial length monitoring is a part of how our team cares for growing eyes.

Learn More About Our Approach

If you’re concerned about your child’s myopia (or want to make sure their current plan is working), Eyelab Doctors of Optometry can help. Book a myopia consultation to discover how axial length measurement can fit into your child’s care and help give you the clear answers you need to protect their vision for years to come.

发表于 通过 Dr. Sherman Tung

What Myopia Control Methods are Available?

A young boy wearing glasses holds his phone too close to his face.

In today’s digital age, more children are being diagnosed with myopia, also known as nearsightedness. This condition, characterized by difficulty seeing distant objects clearly, has seen a sharp increase in its prevalence, partly due to excessive screen time and reduced outdoor activities.

Thankfully, Eyelab offers a range of innovative myopia control methods that can significantly slow down the progression of this eye condition, including:

  • Ortho-K 
  • 视觉治疗
  • Atropine eye drops
  • Lifestyle changes

Start by scheduling your child for an 眼科检查–our team will work with your family to create a customized solution to make sure your eyes are healthy and happy!

Why Myopia Management Matters

Managing myopia, especially in children, is crucial. Unchecked myopia can lead to severe eye health issues in the long run, including cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal detachment. By addressing myopia early, we can help protect your child’s vision and overall eye health. A personalized myopia management plan can reduce the risk of these complications and make sure of better visual outcomes.

A close-up of a pair of hands holding ortho k contact lenses with their fingertips

Orthokeratology: A Non-Surgical Solution

One of the standout approaches to myopia control is orthokeratology, commonly known as ortho-k. This treatment involves wearing specially designed contact lenses overnight. These lenses gently reshape the cornea while the wearer sleeps, temporarily correcting myopia so they can see clearly during the day without the need for glasses or contact lenses.

Ortho-k lenses are not just convenient but also highly effective. They help slow down the elongation of the eye, which is the primary cause of myopia progression. By wearing these lenses consistently, myopia progression can be slowed by up to 80%, significantly reducing the risk of developing more serious eye conditions later in life.

However, ortho-k requires a commitment to nightly lens wear and regular follow-up visits with an optometrist. Some children might find the idea of sleeping in lenses uncomfortable initially, but most adapt quickly. The benefits of clearer daytime vision without the need for corrective eyewear make this method an appealing option for many families.

Vision Therapy: Addressing Binocular and Accommodative Deficiencies

视觉治疗 can be a powerful method for controlling myopia in children with binocular or accommodative deficiencies. At Eyelab, we specialize in treating these complex cases where myopia overlaps with other visual issues. Our vision therapy program focuses on developing the 17 visual skills necessary for success in reading, learning, sports, and everyday life.

Moreover, if a person has binocular or accommodative issues, it’s crucial to address this before starting other treatments like atropine. This is because atropine can negatively affect a child’s accommodative system if they have weak visual skills. By improving their binocular and accommodative skills through vision therapy, we set the stage for the best outcomes with subsequent treatments, including atropine.

Atropine Eye Drops: A Medicinal Approach

Atropine eye drops have emerged as another effective method for controlling myopia progression. These drops are typically used in very low concentrations and are applied once daily. Studies have shown that low-dose atropine can significantly slow the progression of myopia in children.

The exact mechanism by which atropine works is not fully understood, but the drops are believed to reduce the eye’s tendency to elongate, thereby controlling myopia. It’s important to have regular follow-up appointments with an optometrist when using atropine eye drops in order to monitor their effectiveness and adjust the dosage if necessary.

However, before prescribing atropine, it’s essential to assess for any binocular or accommodative deficiencies, as atropine can exacerbate these issues. At Eyelab, we carefully evaluate each patient to ensure that atropine is the right choice, providing a comprehensive treatment plan that optimizes overall visual health.

Lifestyle Changes: The Foundation of Myopia Management

In addition to specific treatments like ortho-k, vision therapy, and atropine eye drops, lifestyle changes play a crucial role in managing myopia. Encouraging children to spend more time outdoors has been shown to reduce the risk of developing myopia and slowing its progression. Outdoor activities expose the eyes to natural light, which is beneficial for eye health.

Limiting screen time and ensuring proper lighting when reading or doing close-up work are also important factors. Prolonged use of digital devices can strain the eyes and contribute to myopia progression. Taking regular breaks, practicing the 20-20-20 rule (looking at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes), and maintaining a healthy distance from screens can help mitigate these effects.

Comprehensive Myopia Management Plans

At Eyelab, our approach to myopia management is comprehensive and personalized. We understand that each child’s eyes are unique, and so are their needs. By customizing a myopia control plan, we can address the specific concerns of your child’s vision. Our experienced optometrists work closely with families to create a strategy that includes regular monitoring and adjustments to ensure the best possible outcomes.

A comprehensive plan might combine multiple methods, such as using Ortho-K lenses alongside lifestyle changes and vision therapy exercises. Regular eye exams are essential to track progress and make any necessary adjustments to the treatment plan.

Protecting Your Child’s Vision Today for a Clearer Tomorrow

The importance of early intervention in managing myopia cannot be overstated. By taking proactive steps now, you can help your child enjoy clearer vision and reduce the risk of serious eye health issues in the future. At Eyelab, we’re committed to providing the best and most recent methods to control myopia in all age groups.

If you have noticed an increase in your child’s prescription or are concerned about their eyesight, don’t wait. Contact us today to set up an appointment and learn more about how we can help manage and control myopia. Let’s work together to ensure a brighter, clearer future for your child’s vision.

发表于 通过 Dr. Sherman Tung

20/20 Vision

When having an eye exam done you might have been told that you have 20/20 vision, but what exactly does that mean? To put it simply, having 20/20 vision indicates that at a distance of 20 feet, you are able to see the smallest letters that should be seen at 20 feet. If you have 20/40 vision, it indicates that you need to be at 20 feet to see what a person with 20/20 vision can see at 40 feet. On the other hand, if you have 20/15 vision, you can see at 20 feet what a person with 20/20 vision can see at 15 feet.

How do we measure our visual acuity?

There are many ways to measure a patient’s visual acuity, but the most common way is through using a Snellen chart that presents with numerous lines of letters above one another. Letters found at the top of the chart are larger and easier to see but become smaller and difficult to read as you move down the chart. Patients are tested by covering one eye and reading the letters from top to bottom at which point they repeat these steps while covering the other eye. Afterwards, patients will use both eyes together to determine the lowest line they are able to read clearly.

发表于 通过 Dr. Melody Tong

Retinal detachment? Retinal tears? Retinal holes?

拍摄者 Tamara Bellis 在 不飞溅

What is it?

The retina plays an important role in providing us our vision. Sometimes we can have a retinal detachment which results in the retina pulling away from its normal position resulting in vision loss. It is also possible to have retinal holes and tears which results in a break in the retina and the accumulation of fluid resulting in a detachment occurring. This can result in someone having symptoms of blurred vision, flashes of light, a curtain veil blocking some of their vision and floaters covering their vision.

photo credit: vistaeyeclinic.com

Who is at risk and how do you treat it?

Individuals who have had previous eye surgeries, high nearsightedness, or trauma to the eye or head will also increase the chance of a retinal detachment occurring. Age also plays a factor in this as the vitreous gel found in our eye shrinks overtime and can pull away from the retina resulting in a possible hole or tear. Yearly dilated eye exams are done to help detect and prevent retinal detachments from occurring. It is especially important that you see an optometrist if you have any symptoms of flashes of light or floaters in your vision. Different treatment options exist such as laser therapy, cryopexy and surgery which are chosen depending on the severity of the detachment, hole, or tear.

发表于 通过 Dr. Sherman Tung

How do my eyes adjust to different lighting?

拍摄者 Agence Olloweb 在 不飞溅

Our eyes are incredible at adapting to different lighting conditions. This is done through the iris and pupil of the eye. Our pupils are the dark hole at the front of the eye which allows light to enter and form an image on the back portion of our eye. This pupil size is controlled by muscles found on the iris, which is the coloured portion surrounding the pupil. In bright sunlight, our pupils will begin to constrict, allowing less light to enter into the eye. On the other hand, when we are in a dark room our pupils will become bigger and increase the amount of light getting into the eye.

credit: https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/50-how-the-eye-focuses-light

Once the light enters through our pupil, it hits the back of our eye called the retina. The retina has two types of photoreceptors called rods and cones. Rods are responsible for night time vision and cones are responsible for day time vision. When we are in a dark room, rods are the ones that let us see.

Dark adaptation

The reason you are momentarily blind in the dark when going from a well-lit room is because it takes some time for our eyes to adjust. This is referred to as dark adaptation. During this period, the rod receptors are the key players to fully adapt and return vision to normal.

发表于 通过 Dr. Elisa Xiao

How can I have Dry Eye if my eyes feel watery?

拍摄者 Pascal Chanel 在 不飞溅

Tearing

Tears are needed to keep the eye’s front surface healthy and to maintain clear vision. It is
common to temporarily produce excess tears when you are emotional, laughing, coughing,
vomiting, experiencing strong taste sensations, or yawning.

Types of Tears

photo credit: allaboutvision.com

Different types of tearing consist of basal tears, emotional tears, and reflex tears. Basal tears are your basic functional tears. They are released in tiny amounts to lubricate your ocular surface and keep it clear of any dust. These are vital for good vision and comfort. Emotional tears are triggered by strong feelings such as joy or sadness. Reflex tears result from irritation in the eye by foreign bodies, or from the presence of irritant substances in the environment. They can also occur with bright lights hot or peppery stimuli to the tongue and mouth, when we yawn, cough or even vomit. These types of tears are released in larger amounts than basal tears. Their goal is to protect one’s eye.

How can I have Dry Eyes if my eyes are so watery?

The two common causes of watery eyes are blocked tears ducts and excessive production of tears. The common cause of excessive production of tears is dry eye syndrome. This occurs due to the glands around our lid margins not producing enough oil resulting the tears drying up very quick. This lack of lubrication results in our eyes producing an abundance of tears to compensate.

发表于 通过 Dr. Melody Tong

Is it true that eating carrots can improve my vision?

拍摄者 Nick Fewings 在 不飞溅

It is often said that eating carrots will help you see better due to the high amounts of vitamin A. Although vitamin A plays an important role in our vision, it is unable to improve the quality of our vision. Vitamin A is able to prevent diseases such as macular degeneration which can result in severe vision loss if left untreated.

What is Vitamin A?

Vitamin A is derived from beta-carotene which acts as an antioxidant. This is essential in protecting our cells against heart disease, cancer, and many other diseases. Deficiency in vitamin A is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children across the world. Due to this, it is important to have some type of source for vitamin A such as carrots, eggs, spinach, or broccoli.

What does Vitamin A do for our eyes?

Vitamin A allows us to produce pigments needed in-order for the retina to function properly. Without these pigments, it would become much more difficult to see in the dark leading to eventual night blindness. Lack of vitamin A can also lead to a lack of nourishment to the cornea resulting in the eyes not producing enough moisture to keep the cornea lubricated. This can lead to our eyes becoming dry which can result in severe complications such as ulceration of the cornea and eventual blindness if not appropriately treated.

发表于 通过 Dr. Elisa Xiao

Ever wonder how you’re able to perceive color?

拍摄者 Greyson Joralemon 在 不飞溅

The Basics

Color vision is an important part of human visual perception, and it is possible due to the photoreceptors in the retina. The human eye consists of two basic photoreceptor cell types, rods, and cones. Rods are responsible for vision in dim light, and cones are responsible for bright light and enable perception of color. Individuals with normal color vision have three subtypes of cones with different wavelengths corresponding to their peak absorption. Found in the central part of the retina are the cones that are sensitive to either red light (long wavelengths ~555nm), green light (medium wavelengths ~530nm) and blue light (short wavelengths ~ 426nm). Normal color processing consists of the cones registering different colors and sending information through the optic nerve to the brain. This enables us to distinguish countless shades of color.

Color Vision Deficiencies

Color vision deficiency or known as color blindness could be congenital or acquired.
Congenital color deficiencies are typically bilateral and non-progressive, and acquired is
more likely unilateral and progressive. The types of color deficiency include red-green
deficiency and blue-yellow deficiency. Individuals with severe color vision defects lack
the photopigment to see color completely while others with a mild color vision defect
have a reduced sensitivity to certain colors. The degree of dysfunction varies between
individuals, mildly affected individuals may pass some of the less sensitive color vision
tests such as Farnsworth D-15 hue test. The most common type of color deficiency is red-
green deficiency. Color vision deficiency can be diagnosed through a comprehensive eye
examination. Testing that can be performed in clinic include, pseudoisochromatic tests,
arrangement tests (ex. Farnsworth D-15) and anomaloscope.

photo credit: colorblind-test.io/ishihara-test
photo credit: color-blind-test.com/d15-color-blind-test-more

Treatment and Implications

Color vision deficiency can be frustrating and may limit participation in occupations that include being able to differentiate between colors. Few examples include pilots, truck drivers, law enforcement, and policing. There is no cure for inherited color deficiency. However, using specifically tinted eyeglasses or wearing red-tinted contact lens on one eye can increase some people’s ability to differentiate between colors.

发表于 通过 Dr. Sherman Tung

Is it okay to buy glasses online? Do I really need an optometrist/ optician?

拍摄者 wu yi 在 不飞溅

When considering whether to buy your glasses online, at first it may seem more convenient and likely less costly. But the prescription given to you by your optometrist is only one piece of information that will determine how effective your glasses will be in improving your vision. Let’s consider the pros and cons:

Pros of buying online:

  • Wider selection of styles and colors
  • Many choices between different websites
  • Often can save on cost (but more on that later)

Cons of buying online:

  • You miss out on having a trained professional aid you in ensuring your glasses are the right fit in
    terms of comfort and effectiveness
  • Quality control of frames may often be sacrificed to maintain that low price you see online
  • Specific measurements such as PD, finding the best optical center, and measurements for
    progressives will either often be wrong or not available for online retailers
  • Prescription issues in general occur much more commonly when ordered online as opposed to
    in person

What could initially be seen as a way to save time and money in the first place may end up more costly for both in the long run if any of the above issues occur. In addition, common complaints with improperly selected glasses may include: headaches, fatigue, nausea/dizziness, eyestrain, glasses slipping off the nose, and pain/pressure marks on your nose/around the ears. Those with high prescriptions, children, complicated prescriptions, and multifocal prescriptions should especially consider in person options as opposed to online.

发表于 通过 Dr. Sherman Tung

What reading under the covers does to your eyes

Image by Freepik

While it is untrue that reading in the dark will permanently damage your eyes it can cause shorter term issues. You may have to strain harder which can lead to headaches, irritated eyes, general eye fatigue. If this is coupled with other existing issues you may also experience blurry vision or even double vision temporarily. The extra strain and need to focus may also prevent you from blinking as often, leading to dry eye symptoms.