CHILDREN’S VISION

At Tracton Optometrists, we provide comprehensive eye examinations in a friendly, relaxed environment. Our assessments go beyond checking children’s vision and include eye health, focusing ability, eye coordination, colour vision, depth perception and overall visual development.

Whether your child is starting school, struggling with reading, experiencing headaches, or simply due for a routine eye examination, our experienced optometrists are here to help. Early detection and treatment of vision problems can have a lasting impact on your child’s learning, confidence and quality of life.

We are committed to making every visit a positive experience, helping children feel comfortable while giving parents confidence that their child’s vision and eye health are in expert hands.

Myopia Management

Myopia (short-sightedness) occurs when the eye focuses light in front of the retina instead of directly on it, causing distant objects to appear blurred while close vision remains clear.

Myopia is becoming increasingly common worldwide. It is estimated that by 2050, around half of the world’s population will be myopic, with approximately 10% developing high myopia (greater than -6.00 dioptres). High myopia significantly increases the risk of serious eye conditions later in life, including glaucoma, retinal detachment, macular degeneration and certain types of cataracts.

If your child’s prescription is becoming stronger each year, early intervention is important. Every additional level of myopia increases the lifetime risk of eye disease, so slowing its progression during childhood can make a meaningful difference to long-term eye health.

At Tracton Optometrists, we take a personalised approach to myopia management. We carefully assess your child’s prescription, age, rate of progression and lifestyle before recommending the most appropriate treatment.

Our myopia control options include:

• Myopia control spectacle lenses
• Soft myopia control contact lenses
• Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) overnight lenses
• Low-dose atropine eye drops
• Healthy Habits That Help Slow Myopia

Lifestyle also plays an important role in managing myopia.

Research shows that children who spend at least two hours outdoors each day are significantly less likely to develop myopia. Natural outdoor light appears to help regulate healthy eye growth, making regular outdoor play an important part of childhood.

Reducing prolonged near work is equally important. We recommend following the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 metres away for 20 seconds. This simple habit helps relax the focusing system of the eyes, particularly during reading, homework and screen use.

Together with appropriate treatment, these healthy visual habits can help reduce the progression of myopia.

Myopia Management Spectacle Lenses

Modern myopia management spectacle lenses are specifically designed to slow the progression of short-sightedness while providing clear vision.

At Tracton Optometrists, we prescribe leading myopia control lenses including Essilor Stellest® and Hoya MiYOSMART®. These advanced lenses use specialised optical technology to help slow excessive eye growth, which is the underlying cause of increasing myopia.

Clinical studies have shown impressive results. Stellest lenses have been demonstrated to slow myopia progression by up to 67%, while many children experience eye growth similar to children who are not becoming more short-sighted.

The benefits extend beyond clearer vision today. By slowing myopia progression, children often require fewer prescription changes during their school years and are less likely to develop high myopia later in life. This reduces the lifetime risk of serious eye diseases and may result in a simpler prescription as an adult.

Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)

Orthokeratology, commonly known as Ortho-K, uses specially designed rigid contact lenses worn overnight to gently reshape the front surface of the eye while your child sleeps.
When the lenses are removed in the morning, most children enjoy clear vision throughout the day without needing glasses or daytime contact lenses.

In addition to providing freedom from daytime correction, Ortho-K has been shown to be one of the most effective methods of slowing myopia progression in children.

Our experienced optometrists carefully customise every Ortho-K treatment and provide regular follow-up appointments to ensure the best possible results.

Multifocal Soft Contact Lenses

Specially designed multifocal soft contact lenses are another proven option for managing childhood myopia.

Originally developed for adults requiring reading correction, these lenses have been adapted to help control myopia progression in children and teenagers. Their unique optical design helps reduce the stimulus for excessive eye growth while providing clear, comfortable vision.

We offer a range of evidence-based myopia control contact lenses, including MiSight® 1 day and NaturalVue® Multifocal 1 Day lenses.

Advanced Myopia Monitoring

Successful myopia management requires regular monitoring to ensure treatment is working effectively.

One of the most accurate ways to assess progression is by measuring the axial length of the eye—the distance from the front to the back of the eye. Changes in axial length often provide a better indication of myopia progression than prescription changes alone.

Tracton Optometrists has specialised equipment to measure axial length.