Myopia Control
Myopia, also known as short-sightedness, is a condition in which the eye is too long or the cornea is too curved, which causes light to be focused incorrectly on the retina, resulting in blurry vision when looking at distant objects.
Myopia is linked to serious eye conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, retinal detachment and myopic macular degeneration.
The earlier a child develops myopia, the more likely they are to have high levels of it.
The cause for the increasing prevalence of myopia is not fully understood, but it has been linked to increased time spent on close-up activities and less time spent outdoors, as well as a higher risk for people of Asian descent and those with one or two parents having myopia.
Other than the traditional methods of correcting myopia with single vision spectacles or contact lenses, the latest research have shown several methods that can be used to control myopia progression, they include:
- Orthokeratology: This is a non-surgical method that uses special contact lenses worn overnight to gently reshape the surface of the eye, temporarily correcting the myopia during the day without the need for glasses or contact lenses. Read more…
- Low-dose atropine: This method involves using a low concentration of the drug atropine, which is known to slow down the progression of myopia. The exact mechanism is unclear but atropine is a type of drug that blocks the action of acetylcholine at the muscarinic receptors of the eye. Acetylcholine plays an important role in the developing retina and regulates the growth of the eye, and hence blockage of it may reduce the elongation of the eye. Atropine is usually used as an adjunct therapy with other anti-myopia strategies that also correct vision.
Myopia management with soft multifocal contact lenses and/or specially designed multifocal spectacle lenses.
- Multifocal contact lenses: These are special types of contact lenses that have concentric peripheral rings in the lens, which focus parts of the light in front of the retina. This is believed to reduce the stimulus that causes progression of myopia. MiSight 1 day was the first soft contact lens to be approved by the United States FDA for slowing the progression of myopia in children.
- MiYOSMART is a specially designed spectacle lens that provides clear vision and controls myopia. Its innovative technology has shown to reduce myopia progression in children by 60% as compared to traditional single vision spectacle lenses. MiYOSMART works by having a central clear zone surrounded by multiple lenslets that continuously induce adequate amount of “myopic defocus” across the retina. This defocus has been identified as a factor that inhibits eye growth, thus slowing the progression of myopia.
If you would like to find out more about the different methods of myopia control or to have an eye consultation to discuss which treatment option suits you best, please feel free to contact us at Concord Eye Care to discuss further on how we can help you achieve your best vision.