Much of our lives revolve around clear vision. Whether it’s reading a book, driving to work, or simply enjoying nature, our eyes play a vital role. That’s why regular eye exams are crucial to monitor eye health and vision changes.
Myopia or nearsightedness is a common condition that affects your vision and worsens. J&J’s Abiliti contact lenses are a groundbreaking solution designed to address and manage myopia by using different treatment zones in the lens.
What Is Myopia?
Myopia is a common vision problem or refractive error, where distant objects appear blurry while close objects can be seen clearly. With a normal-shaped eye, when light enters the eye, it focuses on the retina (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye) to provide clear vision.
However, in myopia, the eye is too long or the cornea too curved, which causes light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it, leading to blurry distant vision. Myopia often starts in childhood and can worsen over time if left untreated.
When myopia worsens, it can lead to high or severe myopia. High myopia can increase your risk of eye diseases later in life. Myopia control methods can help slow myopia progression to preserve vision and eye health in children.
How Abiliti Lenses Work
J&J’s Abiliti contact lenses are not your ordinary lenses. They feature cutting-edge technology designed specifically to slow down the progression of myopia.
The Abiliti lenses use a unique design that helps reshape the cornea’s curvature. This, in turn, helps focus light correctly onto the retina (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye), providing clearer vision and helping to reduce the axial elongation of the eye. It does this with specialized treatment zones. One zone corrects the myopia and the other zone helps slow the progression of myopia.
Abiliti lenses are approved by Health Canada, which means they meet rigorous safety standards and are easy to wear, even for those new to contact lenses. Abiliti 1-day lenses are soft contact lenses made of silicone hydrogel. They are specifically designed for children 7 to 12 years old for initial treatment with myopia between -0.75 diopters and -4.50 diopters.
Benefits for Children with Myopia
If you’re a parent worried about your child’s eye health, one of the standout features of Abiliti lenses is they are suitable for children. For children, these lenses can significantly slow down the worsening of myopia, which is crucial for their long-term eye health. Benefits of Abiliti contact lenses include:
- Slows myopia progression in just 6 months.
- Provides clear vision during the day without needing glasses.
- First daily disposable silicone hydrogel soft contact lens designed for the smaller eyes.
- All-day comfort.
- UV blocking technology to protect from UV exposure.
Do I Need a Prescription for Abiliti Lenses?
Yes, you will need a prescription from your eye doctor to use Abiliti lenses. Prescription lenses provide the right fit for your eyes and vision needs.
How Often Should You Replace Abiliti Lenses?
The replacement schedule for Abiliti lenses is daily. Since these lenses are daily disposable soft contact lenses, they are worn during the day to provide clear vision and discarded after a single use. Always follow the guidelines provided by your eye care professional.
Are They Difficult to Wear?
It’s hard for parents to imagine their child putting in contact lenses. As with any contact lenses, there may be a period of adjustment. However, most children learn to insert and remove Abiliti contact lenses in less than a month. If your child experiences discomfort or unusual symptoms, visit your eye doctor immediately.
Other Myopia Control Methods
Your eye doctor can determine the appropriate treatment option for your child’s myopia after evaluating their vision. Apart from Abiliti contact lenses, other myopia control methods can include:
- Multifocal lenses: These are specialty lenses with different prescriptions on different areas of the lens. The different prescriptions correct nearsightedness, reduce eye strain, and slow myopia progression.
- Myopia control eyeglasses: Specialty lenses in eyeglasses can correct myopia and further protect your child’s vision by preventing myopia progression.
- Atropine therapy: Low-dose atropine eye drops can reduce myopia and help manage myopia progression in children. These drops are applied to both eyes at least once a day for a prescribed period.
Myopia Management for Healthy Eyes & Vision
J&J’s Abiliti contact lenses offer a revolutionary solution for managing myopia in children. With advanced technology, comfort, and ease of wear, they are an excellent choice for myopic children. By choosing Abiliti lenses for your child, you’re taking a proactive step towards better eye health and clearer vision.If you’re interested in learning more about Abiliti contact lenses or other myopia control methods for your child, book an appointment with Queensway Optometric Centre today. We can assess your child’s vision and provide personalized advice for their needs.
