Myopia Control MiYOSMART Lenses

Gill Opticians launches its Myopia Control Clinic

We are excited to introduce MiYOSMART lenses, the most effective non-invasive lens for reducing the progression of Myopia in children.

We can now control the myopic progression in children’s eyes with either MiSight contact lenses or MiYOSMART spectacle lenses.

This is the ‘we have a vaccine’ moment in the world of optics because being myopic means more than just needing glasses.

But why is this important?

Myopic eyes have a much higher chance of developing ocular problems such as Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration and Macular Maculopathy.

But what is myopia/short-sightedness?

Myopia occurs when the eye is physically long or your cornea is too curved. In order to correct this, a concave minus powered lens is prescribed. This correction can come in the form of contact lenses or spectacle lens which is a specific strength to force the image back to land precisely on the retina.

Myopia greatly increases the chances of serious eye problems in later life such as macular degeneration, Glaucoma and macular maculopathy.

Reducing a patients myopic progression by just 1.00DS can reduce the chance of developing myopia related ocular problems by 40%.

It is estimated that ½ of the worlds population will be short sighted by 2050.

Who develops myopia?

Myopia occurs mainly due to genetic inheritance or just bad luck. Myopia can also be induced from environmental reasons such as over exertion of near vision (over accommodation) and lack of outdoor visual gaze.

We advise all children aged 4 years to get their eyes examined. Early detection is crucial to the development of the visual pathway to the brain. By the age of 11 the visual pathway has been fully developed.

Facts:

Myopia is present in over 50% of college students in Ireland.

Rates of Myopia have doubled in the past 50 years.

If you are Myopic, there is a 1:3 chance your children will also be.

If your child turns out to be myopic then they will probably exceed your prescription at the same stage in life.

Treating Myopia

In Ireland until 2018 there was no non-invasive successful treatment available for the progression of myopia. As optical practitioners we would correct the refractive error but there was no way of reducing the progression.

Breakthrough -Since 2018 Gill Opticians has been fitting children with Myopia control contact lenses called Misight 1 DAY. These contact lenses give up to a 55% reduction in the progression of Myopia.

THIS MONTH April 2021 a huge technological leap was made when Hoya Lens Company released the first spectacle lens specifically designed to slow down the progression of Myopia for children. MiYOSMART is a completely non-invasive way to slow down the progression of myopia offering up to a 60% reduction of Myopia progression.

How do MiYOSMART lenses work?

The progression of myopia is due to the continual axial length growth of the eye until the patient stops growing generally between the ages of 18 and 21 years of age.

MiYOSMART with D.I.M.S. technology is a single vision corrective lens with a convex surface that is comprised of hundreds of small segments, each providing myopic defocus. The honeycomb area containing the islands of defocus covers an area of 33mm where there will be two focuses in the eye. One is in front of the retina, formed by the light passing through the segments of the lens. The other focus is on the retina, focused by the light passing through the area without segments. This lens structure makes it possible to simultaneously retard the growth of the eyeball and provide clear vision. Within the 9.4 mm diameter circle area in the centre of the lens, there are no defocus segments. This is designed to make it possible to measure lens power and correct refractive error to meet clear vision needs.

Impact of this intervention:

By wearing MiYOSMART lenses the progression of myopia can be slowed by up to 60%.

By reducing myopia by just 1.00 Diopter i.e from -6.00 to -5.00 you reduce the potential threat of macular maculopathy, macular degeneration and Glaucoma by 40%.

When should children be dispensed MiYOSMART lenses?

The earlier the intervention the better the result. As soon as a child shows a myopic tendency they should be introduced to this technology.

General tips for healthy eyes:

Spend more time outdoors, minimum 2 hours a day.
Take breaks from long intensive screen time or near-work.
Take note of ergonomics, such as suitable lighting, posture and, keeping the recommended working distance which are all very important to keep your eyes healthy while doing near-work.
Have regular eye examinations to ensure myopia and other vision conditions are detected so that any treatment can be provided as early as possible.