Canada's myopia picture is a tale of two populations: overall rates of ~32% mask the dramatically higher burden in East Asian-descent Canadians in urban centres, who show rates comparable to Hong Kong and Singapore. Access to myopia management varies significantly by province.
Large-scale Canadian epidemiological data on myopia is less comprehensive than in the US or Australia. Most prevalence estimates are extrapolated from North American studies, with specific Canadian data coming from university hospital cohorts in Toronto and Vancouver. In East Asian-descent communities in these cities, prevalence approaches the levels seen in Asia — 60–70% in young adults. Among European-descent Canadians, rates are closer to 20–25%.
MiSight received Health Canada approval for myopia control in 2020, following US FDA approval. This makes it the primary regulatory-approved myopia control contact lens available to Canadian optometrists. MiyoSmart DIMS is available in Canada. Stellest® launched in Canada in 2023. Low-dose atropine is available through compounding pharmacies or as off-label prescription — no commercial formulation is specifically Health Canada approved for myopia control.
Optometry is regulated and partially publicly funded in most provinces, but myopia control treatments are entirely private services. Ontario, BC, and Alberta have the highest concentration of myopia management specialists. Quebec lags behind due to optometry regulatory differences. Private vision benefit plans increasingly cover myopia control as awareness grows.
Canadian optometrists broadly follow American Academy of Optometry and IMI guidance. The treatment options are largely identical to the US market. The main difference is that orthokeratology fitting is more standardised and common in Canada relative to the US, partly due to strong influence from Australian and Hong Kong research disseminated through Canadian optometry schools.
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Health Canada Drug Database (MiSight approval 2020) · Optometry Canada national data 2023 · IMI 2025 Digest · BHVI Global Myopia Prevalence Model · Mutti DO et al. CLEERE Study. Optom Vis Sci. 2007 (North American cohort data)