Why does controlling myopia matter?

Myopia, or short sightedness is becoming more prevalent, in fact by 2050, 50% of the global population are expected to have myopia and 10% will have high myopia.

But why should we be concerned? Being myopic is not just about having to wear spectacles to see, myopia, particularly high myopia increases the risk of pathologic ocular changes with the potential to cause permanent vision loss such as cataract, glaucoma, retinal detachment and myopic maculopathy. Current projections suggest that, again by 2050, myopia will become a leading cause of permanent blindness worldwide.

Slowing myopic progression, even by just 1 Dioptre has been shown to reduce the likelihood of a patient developing myopic maculopathy by 40%. Although there is no cure for myopia, a great deal of research has been undertaken to investigate ways of slowing down the rate of progression in children. This is known as myopia control and the earlier it is started the better, and should be continued until at least the age of 17 or when all growth has stopped. Children should also spend more time on outdoor activities, aiming for around 2 hours per day, as this has also been found to help the rate of progression of myopia.

Myopia control solutions

Scartho Eyecare a proud to be offering some of the latest myopia control solutions available in the UK. Depending on what we feel is the best option for your child, we can provide myopia control via spectacles or contact lenses.

Spectacle lenses

HOYA’s MiYOSMART lenses use cutting edge technology to help manage the development of myopia. They are clinically proven to be an effective solution to slow down the progression of myopia and are as easy to wear as any pair of glasses.

These lenses need to be dispensing by an MiYOSMART accredited optician to ensure the correct position and function of the lens, Scartho Eyecare are delighted to be accredited in the dispensing of these lenses.

If your child is having an eye examination with ourselves, we will mention myopia control solutions if they are suitable. If your child is not a patient with us but feel that they might benefit from them please contact us at any time.

The Hoya Miyosmart lenses are £290 which includes a standard frame.

Contact lenses

Night lenses

With these contact lenses the child will wear the lenses at night and then no correction during the day!

Using Orth-K technology these lenses can dramatically slow down, and in some cases even stop the progression of short-sightedness. This is hugely beneficial to children with low amounts of myopia, especially those with parents with high myopia, as it can reduce the chances of them progressing and thus reducing the ocular risks that are associated with Myopia. As these lenses are only worn at home in bed, they are a lot less likely to be lost or broken and the chances of infection are also reduced as well.

At Scartho Eyecare our main priority is our patients. Due to the complexity of these lenses, it is essential that we monitor and track how the treatment is progressing, and therefore require more appointments.

1st Appointment; Valid eye test, corneal mapping ( Topography), check of the health of the eye.

2nd Appointment; collection of the lenses, fitting checked, hygiene and handling instructions given.

3rd Appointment; after the first night of wear, check eyes and lenses.

4th Appointment; 1 week progress check.

Check-ups at 3 weeks, 2 months, 6 months.

Cost wise, the initial appointments are £150, the first set of lenses are £150 (plus solutions) and then a direct debit is set up to cover future costs. (£47 per month)

Daily wear contact lenses

Scartho Eyecare also offers myopia control daily disposable contact lenses. These lenses are worn more like a standard daily contact lens and are a great option if your child is already familiar with contact lens wear. These lenses are supplied via our direct debit scheme and are priced at £42 per month.

If you are interested in any of these solutions for your child, or if you need any further information, please do not hesitate to speak to our staff and we can run through all of the options and find the one that is perfect for your child.

There is some more excellent impartial information to be found on Myopia at www.myopiafocus.org