WHAT IS VISUAL MYOPIA MANAGEMENT?

We all know prevention is better than cure. Myopia Management works to slow the progression of short-sightedness in young children.

Sometimes when children’s eyes are developing, short-sightedness (or myopia, which means you can only perceive images closer to you clearly) can progress quickly.

This can be distressing to children and their parents. Or worse still, a child may not realise or be able to articulate their rapidly deteriorating vision. It’s why it’s so important to have children’s eyes tested under the age of 8.

Myopia progression can happen fast in some cases, meaning a child’s eyesight starts to deteriorate quickly. Rapid eye sight deterioration can lead to complications in later life such as an increased risk in glaucoma, cataracts and Macular Degeneration.

The good news is a new treatment exists which can SLOW the progression of myopia in children. It can be life changing for a child who’s eyesight is deteriorating quickly.

This treatment is called “MYOPIA MANAGEMENT” and Crowleys Opticians Optometrists are trained to IDENTIFY and PRESCRIBE to help slow your child’s myopia.

MANAGING MYOPIA AT A YOUNG AGE IS CRUCIAL

Rapid onset of myopia in children can have very bad consequences for eye health in later life. Compared to a child with no myopia, a child with a -4.50 prescription is:

9 times more likely to suffer from retinal detachments
3 times more likely to suffer from cataracts
2.3 times more likely to suffer with glaucoma
Nearly 10 times more likely to suffer Macular Degeneration.

While a child with -6.00 prescription is:

21 times more likely to suffer from retinal detachments
5 times more likely to suffer from cataracts
3 times more likely to suffer with glaucoma
Over 40 times more likely to suffer Macular Degeneration.

MYOPIA MANAGEMENT CAN REDUCE THIS RISK, AND CAN BE LIFE-CHANGING.

HOW TO KNOW IF MYOPIA CONTROL MIGHT BE FOR YOUR CHILD

Is there a family history of short sightedness or myopia?

Does your child have a history or myopia progression?

Has your child’s vision changed dramatically recently?

Has your child needed to change their optical perscription repeatedly?

MYOPIA MANAGEMENT EXPLAINED

OUR OPTOMETRIST MARIA O’REILLY ON WHY THIS SERVICE IS A GAME CHANGER FOR CHILDREN WITH RAPID MYOPIA PROGRESSION.

brand new technology

Myopia Management is an incredible breakthrough in the area of childhood visual deterioration.

In children where near-sightedness is particularly acute and deteriorating rapidly, Optometrists will now use contact lenses or spectacles lenses to try and slow down worsening vision.

Hoya’s Myiosmart lenses and Coopervision Mysight contact lenses are new technologies that have been specifically designed to treat myopia. The three-year trials wearing MIYOSMART with DIMS Technology has myopia progression in children reduced by an average of 60% – which can be life changing for a young child who is learning and developing .

Many children destined for a life of reduced vision and constant optical interventions now have their myopia progression slowed, meaning their eyesight won’t continue to deteriorate at a rate that would leave them with very poor vision.

Myopia management will lead to a limited time intervention. We’ll know it’s working when a child’s vision hasn’t deteriorated over a two-year period.

Myopia Explained

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 phone – but words and objects look fuzzy on a blackboard, on television or when driving.

Images should be focused on the retina in a normal eye. In myopia the image is focused in front of the retina causing blurred vision. This can be as a result of a growth in the length of the eyeball.

myopia control.jpg

Myopia in kids tends to progress or get worse throughout childhood, and higher levels of myopia are associated with higher eye disease risks in adulthood. If your child already wears glasses, you can do something to stop their vision worsening. If they don’t you can assess their risk of developing myopia.

Types of Myopia Management

GLASSES

The new MiYOSMART lenses: These new game changing lenses were developed in Asia, and launched in Europe in 2021. They use D.I.M.S. technology which can effectively manage myopia. The lenses work by simultaneously providing clear vision to the central retina and myopic defocus to the peripheral retina. In case studies children wearing these lenses had myopia progression reduced by an average of 60%.

Bifocals: The bigger the segment in the lens the better, but the bigger segments are more visible. They provide between 39-51% control for the biggest segment .

CONTACT LENSES

Daily disposable Myopia Control Contact Lenses: Mysight Lenses can provide approx. 59% control. There is a low infection risk as contact lenses are thrown out at end of each day*.

Monthly Disposable Multifocal Contact Lenses: can provide up to 40% control. Small risk of infection as same contacts are used for a month. Lenses are cleaned and stored each night.

Ortho K: Overnight wear of hard Gas permeable contact to mould the shape of the front of the eye. Generally no glasses are needed during the day .Can provide up to 41% control. Generally, no glasses are needed during the day.

*for full medical details: https://coopervision.co.uk/contact-lenses/brilliant-futures-misight-1-day/misight-1-day

Risks of Myopia Progression

Unfortunatey, increased myopia can lead to greater eye health issues, such as Macular Degeneration, retinal detachment, cataracts and glaucoma. Now that we are able to reduce a child’s myopia progression we will be changing lives.

Condition	Risk at -4.50	Risk at -6.50
Myopic Macular Degeneration	9.7 times more likely	40.6 times more likely
Retinal Detachment	9.0 times more likely	21.5 times more likely
Cataract	3.1 times more likely	5.5 times more likely
Glaucoma	2.3 times more likely	3.3 times more likely

MIYOSMART MYOPIA CONTROL EXPLAINED

myopia management