Myopia Management
By 2050, It is expected that a total of 4.758 billion people worldwide (49.8% of the world’s population) will be myopic, while 938 million people (9.8%) are expected to suffer from high myopia (myopia more than -5.00 D).
We may think myopia is solely a concern of minus numbers getting higher and the need for thicker yet more expensive corrective lenses. However, the fact is that it is more of the gradually arising complications that come with high myopia that optometrists are concerned about. The table below shows the possible optical complications and the worrying increase in the chance of getting them with each diopter increase in myopia.
In the context of Singapore, the prevalence rate of myopia in Singapore is among the highest in the world, with 65 per cent of our children being myopic by Primary 6 and 83 per cent of young adults being myopic. By 2050, projections estimate that 80 to 90 per cent of all Singaporean adults above 18 years old will be myopic, and 15 to 25 per cent of these individuals may have high myopia.
By 2050, It is expected that a total of 4.758 billion people worldwide (49.8% of the world’s population) will be myopic, while 938 million people (9.8%) are expected to suffer from high myopia (myopia more than -5.00 D).
We may think myopia is solely a concern of minus numbers getting higher and the need for thicker yet more expensive corrective lenses. However, the fact is that it is more of the gradually arising complications that come with high myopia that optometrists are concerned about. The table below shows the possible optical complications and the worrying increase in the chance of getting them with each diopter increase in myopia.
In the context of Singapore, the prevalence rate of myopia in Singapore is among the highest in the world, with 65 per cent of our children being myopic by Primary 6 and 83 per cent of young adults being myopic. By 2050, projections estimate that 80 to 90 per cent of all Singaporean adults above 18 years old will be myopic, and 15 to 25 per cent of these individuals may have high myopia.
The Importance of Myopia Management
With a need for greater awareness of myopia management, many individuals do not see myopia as a significant concern; getting suitable eyeglasses or contact lenses is enough to help them get through the day. As myopia progresses, there is a high risk of irreversible changes to your eyes, including axial elongation, where your eye length slowly increases. As a result, you also run the risk of contracting various eye health complications like cataracts or glaucoma.
Myopia management is crucial for both children and adults. With children, myopia management aims to address early-age myopia while a child’s eyes are still developing, especially in cases where their eyes are growing at an unusual rate compared to normal eye growth in children. Typically, a child’s eyes grow steadily until their teenage years before stabilising. As such, proper myopia control intends to slow down myopia progression well into early adulthood and protect children from frightening optical complications as they grow older.
Myopia management for adults shares the same goals as children’s, especially as technology has driven us to far more screen time for work or leisure. While getting healthy amounts of outdoor light can be beneficial, the current nature of modern-day living means that myopia control methods used for children should also extend to adults as part of long-term myopia management.
Currently, three myopia control methods are available to the public. We will examine these methods and how they help with long-term myopia management.
Myopia Control Methods
Hoya MiYOSMART
Hoya’s MiYOSMART spectacle lenses use the revolutionary Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (D.I.M.S.) technology to correct myopic refractive error and provide clear vision. D.I.M.S. uses a unique honeycomb-shaped segment treatment area (the ‘defocus zone’) to slow down myopia progression and a clear zone (‘focus zone’) with your child’s prescription. The focus zone provides clear vision for the wearer, while the defocus zone helps manage myopia progression simultaneously.
D.I.M.S. functions on the principles of simultaneous defocus theory backed by animal studies that found myopic defocus could help inhibit eye growth, while hyperopic defocus promoted it. The DIMS spectacle lens uses an innovative lens system where the focus zone helps transmit visual information onto the retina and grants clear vision. Working in tandem with the focus zone, the defocus zone directs visual information to the front of the retina and causes myopic defocus to prevent further eye growth.
Studies have shown that children wearing D.I.M.S. lenses saw significantly reduced myopia progression by 52 per cent and axial elongation by 62 per cent.
ACUVUE® Abiliti™ 1-Day Soft Contact Lenses
ACUVUE offers revolutionary, daily disposable silicone hydrogel contact lenses to help slow myopia progression in children aged 7 to 12. The unique RingBoost™ technology in the lenses helps to focus light onto the retina but off the line of sight, allowing the lenses to be built with more substantial myopia treatment power without losing out on vision quality. In doing so, the lenses break the interdependence between vision quality and myopia treatment power found in traditional dual-focus and multifocal lenses.
The unique optical properties of the RingBoost™ technology are directly linked to the potential to slow the progression of myopia. In fact, in as little as six months, the Abiliti™ 1-Day lenses reduced axial elongation by 0.105mm on average (0.18mm corresponds to approximately 0.5D of myopia).
ACUVUE® Abiliti™ 1-Day Soft Contact Lenses
ACUVUE offers revolutionary, daily disposable silicone hydrogel contact lenses to help slow myopia progression in children aged 7 to 12. The unique RingBoost™ technology in the lenses helps to focus light onto the retina but off the line of sight, allowing the lenses to be built with more substantial myopia treatment power without losing out on vision quality. In doing so, the lenses break the interdependence between vision quality and myopia treatment power found in traditional dual-focus and multifocal lenses.
The unique optical properties of the RingBoost™ technology are directly linked to the potential to slow the progression of myopia. In fact, in as little as six months, the Abiliti™ 1-Day lenses reduced axial elongation by 0.105mm on average (0.18mm corresponds to approximately 0.5D of myopia).
Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)
Ortho-K are custom-made contact lenses worn overnight to reshape the cornea gently, making daytime wear of glasses or contact lenses unnecessary. The lenses are slightly weighted so that overnight use causes the cornea to be flattened and changes how light enters the eyes. This flattening is similar to that done through the surgical LASIK procedure but is a safer alternative for those who do not want corrective surgery.
The image below shows the corneal mapping before and after correction with ortho-K lenses. Note that the red ring creates myopic defocus , which helps slow down myopia progression. The cornea is gently compressed overnight to improve vision and arrest myopia progression, as indicated by the blue zone. In addition to correcting vision and slowing myopia progression, ortho-K provides various lifestyle benefits, particularly for active children and adults who enjoy sports and other outdoor recreational activities.
Atropine Eye Drops
For eye care, atropine is an eye drop that dilates the pupil and pauses the eye’s focusing mechanism. It is meant to treat various eye conditions and help with myopia control. Most atropine eye drops have a concentration of between 0.01 per cent to 0.05 per cent; 1 per cent concentrations were found to cause side effects when used in children, such as blurry vision.
You will generally use atropine drops once a day at night. Please note that atropine drops are not to be prescribed by an optometrist in Singapore; only a certified opthalmologist is allowed to prescribe medicated eye drops.
Start Your Myopia Management Journey with Philip D. Izaac
Starting myopia management early is the best way to control its progression and prevent various optical conditions from hindering your child’s growth. Even with adults, myopia management methods help provide clearer vision and lower the risk of eye conditions like cataracts or glaucoma. Contact Philip D. Izaac today and set an appointment with us, where we will assess your current optical health and provide you with comprehensive myopia management support from start to finish. We will help you see through the process with the utmost patience and care.