Myopia is the most common cause of distance refractive errors worldwide. Due to the rise in myopia prevalence over the past few decades and the sight-threatening issues associated with extreme myopia, such as cataracts, and glaucoma myopia has become a significant public health concern. This leaves people looking for ways to reduce symptoms.
Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, typically manifests itself between the ages of 6 and 14. Children with nearsighted parents are more likely to develop myopia; however, childhood myopia is becoming more common.
It’s anticipated that the number of people with myopia will keep growing. Because of this constantly growing number, there are more innovative ways of myopia control being developed all the time, an example being corrective lenses.
What Is Myopia?
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a refractive error that happens when your eye fails to properly focus light on the retina.
To see clearly, light rays must pass through and be refracted by your cornea and lens. The retina then transforms light into signals that are sent to your brain where they are then translated into images.
In myopic vision, the eyeball is a little bit longer than usual from front to back. The light rays that create the images we perceive focus in front of the retina rather than directly on it, making distant objects appear hazy and unclear.
Nearsightedness can appear gradually or abruptly, and it frequently worsens during childhood and adolescence since your eyes are growing quickly in these stages.
Symptoms
The most common symptom you may notice is blurry vision when looking at far-away objects. But other symptoms may be present including:
- Blurry or hazy vision when looking at far away objects
- Squinting to try and read
- Frequent headaches
- Poor vision in low light
In children, it’s harder to tell if they are experiencing the symptoms of myopia because you can’t see what they see, and they have no frame of reference as to what the quality of their vision should be.
That’s why it’s important to take your child to a comprehensive exam regularly from a young age. Physically you may notice them:
- Asking if they can sit at the front of the classroom
- Have disinterest in sports that require long-distance vision
- Rubbing their eyes
- Moving closer to the TV
- Holding books closer to their face
Corrective Lenses for Myopia
There is no single best method for correcting myopia. Your eyes and your lifestyle will determine the best myopia management for you. However, some corrective lenses like MyoVision & Myopilux can offer some relief.
Discuss your daily activities with your eye doctor so that you can determine the best treatment options for your specific needs.
MyoVision
In addition to correcting refractive issues, these Zeiss MyoVision lenses cause “myopic defocus,” which causes an image to be projected onto the retina’s surface rather than its back, slowing the unintentional elongation of the eye, which causes nearsightedness.
Before MyoVision lenses, glasses could only help with myopia control if they were multifocal, which means they offered multiple prescriptions in different areas of the lens. MyoVision lenses are the first single-vision lenses designed specifically for myopia control.
MyoVision’s long-term effects include manageable distance vision into adulthood. But it’s important to remember that kids with myopia will continue to have it as they get older. There is currently no cure for myopia, progression can only be slowed down.
Myopilux
Myopilux lenses simultaneously correct and control myopia. It outperforms single vision lenses, which only correct far vision while doing nothing to help reduce the strain of near vision.
- Myopilux Plus. Progressive lenses that are made specifically for children to reduce myopia while considering ergonomics, facial, and eye anatomy. These lenses provide comfortable support and a wide field of vision.
- Myopilux Max. Prismatic bifocal lenses that are designed for exophoric patients. They provide a myopic child with the greatest field of vision. The upper portion of the lens accommodates the prescription, while the lower portion of the lens contains a prismatic reading addition. The upper and lower halves of the lens are separated by a line.
MiSight Contact Lenses
MiSight soft contacts are specifically designed for children aged 8 to 12 experiencing nearsightedness. This daily-disposable soft contact lens’s dual-focus optical design provides your child with clear vision while also signalling the eye to slow down in its growth.
MiSight slowed the progression of myopia by 59% when compared to single vision lenses. You are assisting your child today while also lowering the risk of vision-threatening eye diseases in the future.
Start Corrective Action Today
If you or your child are experiencing the symptoms of myopia, it’s important to get an early diagnosis so that you can start corrective action. Book an appointment with us today to see if corrective lenses will work for you or your child.
