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Myopia: The future is now in your hands

Myopia, also known as short-sightedness, is an eye health issue that every parent should be aware of. Over one-third of the world’s population has myopia, and this is projected to increase to 50% by 2050.

Whether you suspect that your child is myopic, or you have little to no knowledge of the condition, we will help you support your child and manage their vision.

Signs of short-sightedness

Short-sightedness usually starts in children from age 6 to 13. It can also happen in adults.

Signs you or your child may be short-sighted include:

• Difficulty reading words from a distance, such as reading the whiteboard at school
• Sitting close to the TV or computer, or holding a mobile phone or tablet close to the face
• Getting headaches.
• Rubbing the eyes, excessively.

Short-sightedness often runs in families, so you may have relatives who are also short-sighted.

It can get worse until the eye has stopped growing, at around 20 years of age.

What is Myopia?

Myopia is blurry long-distance vision, often called “short-sighted” or “near-sighted”. A person with myopia can see clearly up close – when reading a book or looking at a digital device – but words and objects are blurred in the distance, for example, watching television or when driving.

This is commonly because the eye is longer than usual from front to back, which causes light to focus in front of the back of the eye, and not on the back of the eye.

Myopia can be influenced by both environmental and genetic factors and is becoming increasingly prevalent.

The main concern is the exponential risks of developing sight threatening eye conditions such as myopic maculopathy, retinal detachment, cataract and glaucoma from high levels of myopia, most notably above -5.00.

CAUSES OF MYOPIA

The exact causes of myopia are not fully understood; however, genetics and environmental factors contribute to the development and severity of myopia.⁽ⁱ⁾

GENETICS

A child is at least twice as likely to be myopic with one myopic parent and five times likely to be myopic if both parents are myopic.⁽ⁱⁱ⁾

ENVIRONMENTAL

Research shows that not spending enough time outside contributes to the increased prevalence of myopia. Natural outdoor light can prevent the eye from lengthening.

EXCESSIVE USE OF SCREENS

Excessive screen time, for example watching TV, smart phones and tablets is not proven to increase myopia prevalence, but these activities have an impact on time spent outdoors.

TREATING OR SLOWING DOWN MYOPIA

Myopia is normally treated with glasses or contact lenses, or both. However, some treatments can slow down myopia progression, this is what we call MYOPIA MANAGEMENT.

Our accredited optometrists and dispensing opticians can offer you several options to slow the progression of myopia.

When myopia management is successful:

• Reduced dependency on glasses.
• A lower prescription, meaning thinner, lighter and lower costing glasses.
• Reduced risk of sight threatening eye conditions associated with high myopia⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

The results of myopia management may differ from person to person and depend on factors such as:⁽ IV,V,VI ⁾

• Age of onset of myopia.
• Age when starting myopia management.
• Compliance with treatment.
• Amount of near work and outdoor activity.

MYOPIA MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

EYEDREAM ORTHOKERATOLOGY

(ORTHO-K)

Specially designed rigid gas permeable contact lenses worn at night only, this safe and reversable treatment helps to alter the shape of the cornea during sleep.

EyeDream is a form of orthokeratology (ortho-K). These groundbreaking lenses are worn overnight to gently reshape the front of the eye. In the morning, the lenses are removed, and the wearer can enjoy crisp, corrected vision all day.

Ortho-k lenses offer children and parents an opportunity to slow the progression of myopia.

Ortho-K offers children the freedom and confidence to swim, play sports and enjoy an active lifestyle without the restrictions of spectacles or contact lenses.

Ortho-K lenses are worn at night and at home so lens wear and care can be monitored – and no more lost glasses or contact lenses!

Ortho-K treatment is effective, reversible and has proved life-changing for thousands of people.

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MISIGHT 1-DAY DAILY DISPOSABLE CONTACT LENSES

Daily disposable contact lenses suitable for children as young as 8 years old, worn as any other daily disposable lenses whilst slowing the progression of myopia.

MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses from CooperVision provide clear, sharp vision and slow the progression of myopia.

Myopia management contact lenses are the perfect alternative to wearing glasses, easy to use, safe to wear with proven global results.

ESSILOR STELLEST SPECTACLE LENSES

Stellest™ lenses are Essilor®’s best solution to fight your child’s myopia, and their strong efficacy has been clinically proven, using patented technology to slow myopic progression.

Essilor® Stellest® slow down myopia progression by 67% on average* compared to single vision lenses, when worn 12 hours a day.

Essilor® Stellest® lenses create a signal in the eye that acts as a shield against myopia progression. Stellest® lenses are safe, aesthetic and simple.

Myopia may impact children’s well-being and development

• 80% of all learning occurs through vision.
• 1 out of 3 children can’t see the board clearly.

Please ask one of our expert dispensing opticians for more details.

⁽ⁱ⁾The impact of myopia and high myopia: report of the Joint World Health Organization–Brien Holden Vision Institute Global Scientific Meeting on Myopia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, 16–18 March 2015. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2017. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

⁽ⁱⁱ⁾Jones L, Sinnott L, Mutti D, Mitchell G, Moeschberger M. Parental history of myopia, sports and outdoor activities, and future myopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2007; 48(8): 3524-3532.

⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ https://www.brienholdenvision.org/news/item/95-changing-the-way-optometrists-think-about-myopia.html

⁽ IV ⁾ Wildsoet, C. F., Chia, A., Cho, P., Guggenheim, J. A., Polling, J. R., Read, S., … & Wolffsohn, J. S. (2019). IMI–interventions for controlling myopia onset and progression report.Investigative ophthalmology & visual science,60(3), M106-M131.

⁽v⁾ Németh, J., Tapasztó, B., Aclimandos, W. A., Kestelyn, P., Jonas, J. B., De Faber, J. T. H., … & Resnikoff, S. (2021). Update and guidance on management of myopia. European Society of Ophthalmology in cooperation with International Myopia Institute.European Journal of Ophthalmology,31(3), 853-883.

⁽VI⁾ Gajjar, S., & Ostrin, L. A. (2022). A systematic review of near work and myopia: measurement, relationships, mechanisms and clinical corollaries.Acta Ophthalmologica,100(4), 376-387.