WA Eye Care
Myopia series / 05 of 06

Myopia control, the Perth way

Sun, sport, teenagers and combining treatments.

  1. 01Myopia control: slowing how fast the eye grows
  2. 02Why does the eye keep growing?
  3. 03Treatments, part 1: drops and light
  4. 04Treatments, part 2: lenses
  5. 05Myopia control, the Perth way
  6. 06How do we know it’s working?

Atropine in a sunny city

Part 05 · 01
Darker irises bind more atropine; lighter irises hold less, so the pupil dilates more and bright sun causes more light sensitivity.
Fig 5.1Darker vs lighter iris
  1. 01

    Perth sun makes stronger drops harder to tolerate

    Light sensitivity at school and sport.

  2. 02

    Lighter eyes feel it more

    Less pigment holds less of the drug, so the pupil opens wider.

  3. 03

    We fine-tune the strength

    Usually around 0.025–0.03%, plus a hat or light-reactive lenses.

Finding the right strength

Part 05 · 02
0.01%0.025–0.03%0.05%

Weak on eye length

Few side effects, but little effect on growth.

Our usual Perth range

A balance of effect and comfort in bright sun.

Strongest effect

More light sensitivity and near blur, especially in lighter eyes.

Teenagers with mild myopia

Part 05 · 03

Glasses end up in the school bag

At around −0.75 to −1.00, the blur isn’t bad enough to make teens wear them.

No wear, no effect

Myopia control glasses only work when they are actually worn.

Ortho-K removes the choice

Worn overnight, it corrects vision and controls myopia without daytime effort.

Built for active Perth kids

Part 05 · 04

Swimming and beach

No glasses to lose in the surf or the pool.

Footy, netball, cricket

Clear vision without frames or daytime contacts.

Outdoors is a bonus

Active outdoor kids already get some protection from daylight.

For many sporty Perth children, ortho-K ends up the most practical, and most effective, option.

Combining treatments for faster progression

Part 05 · 05
An optical treatment combined with a chemical or light treatment has an additive effect on slowing eye growth.
Fig 5.5Optical + chemical / light
  1. 01

    Two different routes can add up

    An optical treatment plus a chemical or light treatment.

  2. 02

    Best supported: lenses + low-dose atropine

    Ortho-K or myopia control glasses with drops.

  3. 03

    Also used: lenses + red light

    Promising, but less evidence so far.

Our safety rule: no atropine with red light

Part 05 · 06
An atropine-dilated pupil lets much more red light reach the retina.
Fig 5.6Don’t combine
  1. 01

    Atropine widens the pupil

    So much more light can reach the back of the eye.

  2. 02

    Red light already has open safety questions

    We don’t add to the retinal risk.

  3. 03

    We never combine these two

    Lenses can be paired with either one, but not both together.

In summary

Part 05
  1. 01We tune atropine strength for Perth sun and eye colour.
  2. 02Ortho-K suits sporty kids and teens who won’t wear glasses.
  3. 03Treatments can be combined, but never atropine with red light.
← Part 04LensesPart 06 →Monitoring
Myopia / Mt Hawthorn

Book a myopia assessment.

Child getting more short-sighted each year? We measure eye length to see how fast their eyes are growing.

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General information only, not personal advice. Every child is different. Treatment is decided after a full eye examination.

WA Eye Care · Room 3, 103 Scarborough Beach Road, Mt Hawthorn WA 601608 6288 4218 · info@waeyecare.com.au