“Miss! Are your classes making me blind?
A very nicely written piece on Myopia and school children .
myopia
myopia control on the BBC
The BBC World Service’s CrowdScience website has a couple of interesting pieces about Short-sightedness and myopia control.
The link below is to a video that they have produced showing some of the measures that are being used in Singapore to try and reduce childhood Myopia.
Singapore’s measures to reduce short-sightedness
This is a clip from the longer podcast
Are Screens Bad For My Child’s Eyes
I am a big advocate of the benefits of natural light and in reducing screen time and I have been very proactive in telling my young patients to try and get at least 14 hrs per week outside but as any parent know it is very difficult for a teenager (and often even younger) to be parted from their smart phones/tablets/laptops.
When I speak to my young patients who are doing lots of studying about what they do when they take a break from the revision or homework – almost all of them tell me that they will go straight on some form of social media – this may be a mental break from the Battle of Passchendaele or from conjugating Latin verbs but it will not give the eyes a rest.
They do look very skeptical when I suggest that a break should be going outside – without their devices. I have had one parent suggest to me that they feel it would take surgical removal to take away the phone from their 15 year old child.
Currently Atropine is not licensed for myopia control use in the UK. But as has been mentioned in previous blog posts we do use OrthoKeratology how do you solve a problem like myopia
and the new mi-Sight soft contact lens miSight Myopia Control options for Myopia control.
miSight Myopia Control
At eyelines we have been using overnight Ortho-K contact lenses for myopia control for a number of years with great success.
However overnight contact lens wear is not for everyone.
CooperVision have recently launched the first soft contact lens proven to slow the progression of myopia.
CooperVision MiSight 1 day – are daily disposable lenses that are suitable for myopic children as young as 8 years old.
MiSight lenses have been shown to reduce myopia progression by nearly 60%.\
Natural daylight has been shown to help as well – At least 14 hours per week spent outside will reduce the progression of myopia.
Slowing the progression of myopia has long term benefits for the health of the eyes. High level myopic eyes are at greater risk of developing Glaucoma and Retinal detachments and can develop cataracts at an earlier age than normal.
If you are interested in finding out more about MiSight lenses or any form of Myopia Control then contact the practice
how do you solve a problem like myopia
In a previous blog post I mentioned the increase in Myopia that some have likened to an epidemic.
Apart from correcting the vision traditionally with spectacles or daily wear contact lenses what else is available – especially for children.
Refractive Surgery has been an option in various form since the mid 1960’s and whilst techniques have been improving it is still usually not recommended for those under the age of 21 (or at least until any prescription changes have stabilised).
For a lot of patients the thought of having any form of surgery will be enough to dissuade them from this option.
Another possibility is Orthokeratology – or Ortho K – a technique of overnight contact lens wear that gently reshapes the cornea by about the thickness of a hair. I have been using this technique in the practice for nearly 10 years. (Previous Blog Post on Ortho K)
Until recently I have used Ortho K mainly on adults but in the last 6 months I have been fitting the lenses more and more to children with excellent results.
One of the first youngsters that I fitted last summer was Isabella whose extended family have been with the practice for many years. Isabella had been wearing spectacles for six months and her myopia was increasing rapidly, her father is quite myopic so Isabella was concerned that she would follow a similar pattern. We discussed all of the options available and decided to fit Ortho K – with great success. Isabella has recently featured in a news article about Ortho K on ITV Meridian News.
Since Isabella’s success I have had an increasing number of children coming along and being fitted with Ortho K and it has proven to be a wonderful tool to enable children to cope with an active lifestyle without having to worry about vision, glasses or contact lenses during the day.
If you are interested in Ortho K or any aspect of either your eyes or your childs eyes then contact us to have a chat about it.
“myopia epidemic”
Recent studies on childhood shortsightedness both in the UK and in the US have shown that the condition is on the increase.
Both the studies from California and Northern Ireland have shown that there are twice as many children today who are myopic than in the 1960’s.
16.4% now compared to 7.2% in 1960
The study also showed that children with one myopic parent were three times more likely to become myopic than those who had non myopic parents. Those who have two parents with myopia were seven times more likely to be myopic.
The Northern Ireland Childhood Errors of Refraction Study also found that children were becoming myopic at an earlier age. Myopia is more likely to occur between the ages of 6 and 13.
There are many opinions on what the reasons for this increase in shortsightedness are but opinion seems to suggest that too much time indoors on mobile devices and not enough time outdoors is a factor.
Myopia is generally a progressive condition so it is worth keepin an eye on (apologies for the awful pun).
I will blog later on some of the options that are available to both correct the vision and also to control the myopia.
get the x factor with eyelines & acuvue
Its that time of the year again when thousands of potential superstars put themselves in the firing line before Simon Cheryl Mel and Louis – 5 minutes of fame or global super-stardom who knows.
Acuvue contact lenses are working in conjunction with the x factor and are offering the chance for 7 new Acuvue wearers to win VIP passes for one of the live shows.
Any contact lens wearer who has a trial of Acuvue brand contact lenses and is over 16 will get a free entry into the draw.
Acuvue contact lenses are available in hundreds of different permutations so they can provide a very comfortable contact lens that will provide excellent vision regardless of the prescription.
Short sightedness Long sightedness Astigmatism Presbyopia all covered by Acuvue.
Call in and see us for more information or contact us for an appointment . (Bring along your microphone and entertain us at the same time)
eye(had a)dream
Eyedream contact lens vision therapy is a modern take on Orthokeratology – a technique that reshapes the cornea and enables clear vision throughout the day without the need for spectacles or contact lenses.
No need to worry about over wearing your contact lenses
No need to worry about dry dusty environments and irritable eyes.
No need to struggle with sports and your spectacles
Eyedream is suitable for low to mid myopes (shortsighted people) who want the freedom of clear vision without spectacles, contact lenses or are worried about the risks of surgical techniques.
Custom made contact lenses are worn overnight that gently reshape your cornea and give you clear vision throughout the day. Once your vision is corrected you need to wear a pair of retainer lenses every night.
(I have several patients who only need to put in their Eyedream lenses every second or third night)
Orthokeratology and eyedream lenses have also been shown to control the progression of Myopia in Children and adults. As well as gently flattening the cornea (this is how they correct the shortsightedness) there has been some evidence that suggests that the use of these lenses will also reduce the growth in eyeball length – which is a major factor in the progression of myopia.
At eyelines we have been fitting Eyedream lenses for the last 8 years with a lot of very happy patients using the technique. If you are interested contact us for further information.
