Mission Creek Optometry · Kelowna

Myopia (nearsightedness) is blurred vision in the distance — the whiteboard at the front of the classroom, a street sign, a ball coming across the field. Glasses and contact lenses correct it, but they don’t slow it down. Myopia control is about doing more than correcting your child’s vision: it aims to slow down how fast the myopia progresses as they grow.

Why myopia matters

Myopia usually starts in school-age children, and it often keeps changing through the growing years. Stronger glasses are one part of the story. The other part is that higher levels of myopia are linked to a greater lifetime risk of eye disease — including retinal detachment, glaucoma, changes at the macula, and earlier cataracts. That is why slowing progression matters, not just keeping the prescription up to date.

We wrote more about this in our blog post, “How to Improve Nearsightedness.”

The options at Mission Creek Optometry

There is no single right choice for every child. At the exam we talk through what fits your child — their eyes, their age, and how they live day to day — and help you decide together.

Ortho-K at our clinic

Ortho-K (orthokeratology) uses custom rigid lenses, made for your child’s eyes, worn overnight. While they sleep, the lenses gently reshape the cornea — the clear front surface of the eye — so that in the morning they can see clearly without glasses or contact lenses. The effect lasts through the day, and the lenses go back in each night.

How it works:

1. Consultation — we check your child’s eyes, talk through whether Ortho-K suits them, and answer your questions. Ortho-K Consultation $175.
2. Fitting — the lenses are custom-made for your child’s eyes, and we teach you both how to put them in, take them out, and look after them.
3. Follow-up visits — we check the fit, your child’s eye health, and how the myopia is tracking, and adjust as needed.

Ortho-K isn’t only for children. It is also widely used by adults — people with active lifestyles who want to be free of glasses during the day, and adults who don’t want to see their prescription keep increasing.

Dr. Scott Percival is a Kelowna certified Ortho-K specialist, we use Hoya's MiYOSMART, Essilor's STELLEST,  and Coopervision's MiSight contact lenses. 

The cost of Ortho-K treatment itself is discussed at the consultation, as it depends on your or your child’s prescription and fitting. Pricing for MiSight, MiYOSMART, and Stellest is also discussed at the consultation.

What to expect at the visit

Your child’s visit starts with a thorough eye exam, including measurements of their eyes and how their myopia is changing. We talk through the options in plain language, including what each one involves day to day, and there is time for all of your questions. There is no pressure to decide on the day — we encourage you at Mission Creek Optometry to take the information home and really think it over.

Questions parents ask

At what age can myopia control start?

There is no single starting age. It is usually discussed once myopia has been diagnosed in a school-age child and we can see how it is changing. The doctor assesses each child individually at the exam and talks it through with you.

Is Ortho-K safe?

Ortho-K lenses are fitted and monitored by the doctor, and like any contact lens they need proper hygiene and regular follow-up visits. At the consultation, we talk through the benefits and the risks honestly, so you can decide with the full picture.

Does it hurt?

No. The lenses are worn overnight while your child sleeps, and most children get used to them quickly. There can be some awareness of the lenses in the first few nights, and that usually settles.

Can my child still play sports and swim?

Yes — that is one of the main reasons families choose Ortho-K. Your child has no glasses or contact lenses on during the day, so sports are straightforward. For swimming, no contact lenses should be worn in the water, and with Ortho-K there are no lenses in during the day.

How often are follow-up visits?

Regular follow-up visits are part of the treatment. We check the fit of the lenses, your child’s eye health, and how the myopia is tracking, and we set the visit schedule at the fitting.

Does myopia control cure myopia?

No. Myopia control aims to slow down how fast myopia progresses — it does not cure it, and your child will still need their vision corrected. The goal is less change over the growing years, and a lower level of myopia in the long run.

Mission Creek Optometry has cared for Kelowna families since 2008 — first from our clinic on Gordon Drive, and since 2023 from our clinic on Ambrosi Road.