Myopia Management
The myopia population is growing, with more than 2.7 billion people estimated to have myopia in 2030.1
By 2050, over 5 billion people are estimated to be myopic.2
This a growing trend with changing lifestyles as more time is spent on near activities. There is also a growing prevalence of myopia in children.
“Myopia’s growth has been dizzying, and now affects the vast majority of young adults in some countries, especially in East Asia,” said Arthur Back, Chief Technology Officer for CooperVision and a leading voice on myopia management. “Not only does it create blurred vision, but also increases the likelihood of conditions later in life such as glaucoma, cataract, retinal detachment and myopic maculopathy if not addressed.”
Causes of Short-Sightedness.
Short-sightedness is most commonly caused by the eye growing too long. Certain factors make a child more likely to become short-sighted, such as:3
Family History
Children who have short-sighted parents are more likely to inherit the condition. In fact, if both parents are short-sighted, there's a 50% chance their children will be short-sighted too.4
Not enough time outdoors
Spending more time outdoors may help delay the onset of short- sightedness. Sunlight stimulates the production of vitamin D and dopamine, which are linked to healthy eye development.6,7 Experts recommend a minimum of 10 hours outdoors each week - about 90 minutes a day.8
Too much time focusing on near objects
Modern lifestyles mean we spend more time focusing our eyes on nearby objects such as phones and tablets. It’s important to be mindful that activities such as computer use, reading and watching TV increase the chance of developing short-sightedness.5,9
Why should you be interested in myopia control?
Because slowing the progression of myopia may keep your child from developing high levels of short sightedness that require thick, corrective spectacles and have been associated with serious eye problems later in life, such as early cataracts or even a detached retina.
Although an outright cure for short sightesdness has not been discovered, there are a number of treatments that may be able to slow the progression of myopia.
These treatments can induce changes in the structure and focusing of the eye to reduce stress and fatigue associated with the development and progression of short sightedness.
There are currently six types of treatment showing promise for controlling myopia:
- Atropine eye drops (not licenced for use in the UK)
- Multifocal contact lenses
- Orthokeratology ("ortho-k")
- Multifocal eyeglasses
- Mi-Sight Daily Contact Lenses
- MiYOSMART Spectacle Lenses with D.I.M.S. Technology
How to take care of your sight:
Wearers should:
1. Spend more time outdoors, minimum 2 hours a day.
2. Take breaks from long intensive screen time or near-work.
3. Take note of ergonomics, such as proper lighting, posture, keeping the recommended working distance are very important to keep your eyes healthy while doing the near-work.
4. Get regular eye check-ups to ensure that myopia or other vision problems are detected and treated early, reducing the worsening of vision, myopia progression and potential complications of high myopia.
Disclaimer – Myopia management may not be able to address individuals’ conditions due to natural deficiencies illnesses, pre-existing medical conditions and/or advanced age of consumers. The information contained herein is general information and is not intended to constitute medical advice. Please consult your eye care professional for more information prior to the use of MiYOSMART lenses.