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With back-to-school season in full swing, ensuring your children are prepared to take on their studies is essential—and doing so ahead of their first report card can make all the difference. One especially crucial but often forgotten need is an eye health check-up. And if your child reports trouble seeing the board during class, it’s high time for an exam.
Myopia, commonly known as nearsightedness, is becoming a global epidemic, especially among children. By 2050, it is projected that half of the world’s population will be affected by myopia,1 with a significant percentage developing high myopia—a condition that poses severe risks of sight-threatening eye diseases later in life. The prevention of high myopia is critical, and early intervention can change the course of the disease and your child’s life. Proper eyeglasses are the first step: when it comes to your child’s eyesight, every diopter counts.
What is Myopia?
Myopia occurs when the eye grows too long from front to back, causing distant objects to appear blurry. It is the most common refractive error among children and young adults, often developing at a young age and progressing rapidly. Unfortunately, myopia is frequently misunderstood as merely a need for prescription glasses, overlooking the potential long-term damage to sight and quality of life if not properly managed as a medical condition.
Recognizing the gravity of this issue, the World Council of Optometry and the Canadian Association of Optometrists have established myopia management as a standard of care. This approach emphasizes correcting vision and controlling myopia’s progression to prevent future complications. For Canadian eye care professionals, myopia management presents a unique opportunity to build value and trust by educating parents about its importance.
Essilor’s Stellest Lenses: A Game-Changing Innovation
The key to success in combating myopia lies in raising awareness about the risks and consequences of untreated myopia. This is where Essilor Stellest lenses come into play. Stellest lenses are a revolutionary treatment proven to slow myopia progression by an average of 67 per cent when worn 12 hours a day, compared to single-vision lenses.2 With Stellest Sun lenses, now available in sun tints with six fun colours for kids, not even summer fun can get in the way of your child’s eye health.
Essilor Stellest lenses offer a dual benefit: they correct vision and actively control the progression of myopia. This makes them an essential tool in the fight against the myopia epidemic, providing a solution that goes beyond traditional lenses to protect children’s eyesight in the long term.
Taking Action
With the first school report cards on the horizon, clear vision is critical for your child’s success in school and beyond. If your children show any signs of myopia, such as squinting, sitting too close to screens, or complaining of headaches, don’t delay booking an eye exam.
This simple three-step process is an easy way to ensure your children are protected against myopia:
Visit Your Eyecare Professional
Schedule an eye exam with an optometrist to assess your child’s vision and discuss the possibility of myopia management.
Ask About Stellest Lenses
To correct and control myopia, order Stellest lenses from an eye care professional based on the optometrist’s prescription.
Schedule Follow-Up Visits
Regular six-month check-ups are recommended to monitor myopia progression and adjust the treatment as necessary.
Parents, choose Essilor Stellest lenses and take proactive steps to slow the progression of myopia and protect your children’s vision. Book an eye exam today and ask for Stellest lenses by name to ensure your child’s vision is in the best hands.
Learn more about Essilor Stellest lenses at essilor.com/ca-en/products/stellest
1: Brien A. Holden, et al, (2016). “Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050”.. Ophthalmology, 123(5); p 1036-1042.
2: Bao J, et al. Spectacle lenses with aspherical lenslets for myopia control vs single-vision spectacle lenses: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA ophthalmology. 2022;140(5):472-8
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When it comes to myopia, correcting your child’s eyesight today won’t protect them for tomorrow. Myopia can still worsen, potentially affecting their future vision. Stellest® lenses are Essilor®’s best solution to fight your child’s myopia, and their strong efficacy has been clinically proven.