Sight is one of the most precious senses and something we take for granted. But if like many of us you are myopic (short-sighted), you know what failing eyesight feels like. What you may not know is that if you’re a myopic parent, your more likely to have a shortsighted child than if you were non-myopic. Genetics is just one piece of the myopia jigsaw and we explain more below.

The good news is that we can help. Our Myopia Management clinic can help to slow down myopia and, in some cases, even stop it.

 

So, what is myopia exactly?

Myopia is the eye condition where near objects are clear, but those farther away are blurred and look fuzzy at a distance contributing to learning difficulties. It’s caused by the eyeball being slightly too long and usually begins in childhood. In younger children, myopia progresses more quickly because their eyes are growing at a faster rate, leading to higher levels of myopia, stronger glasses and more eye health risks.

Genetics, environment and an individual’s characteristics can all contribute to this excess growth. The percentage of people who develop myopia is increasing sharply, to the extent that it is now considered an epidemic.

 

How can it be treated?

There are several options available, and we can assess which treatment is best suited for you or your shortsighted child.

There are now two daily disposable soft lenses specifically designed to manage myopia progression and scientifically proven to slow it down by up to 59% over two years. As a soft, daily disposable lens, it’s comfortable to wear and suitable for children from six years and up.

OrthoKeratology or Ortho-K is an overnight treatment with rigid lenses which are custom designed and worn every night while you’re asleep.

Although Myopia Management spectacles have not yet launched in Europe. We will be involved in the trials and understand the optics to make our own unlicensed lenses as a backup to contact lenses.

The key is knowing which treatment is right for you or your child, and that’s where our expertise in this area of optometry is invaluable.

 

Why choose us?

We’re experts in Myopia Management with a proven track record of success. As an award-winning optometrist, we were one of the first optometrists in the UK authorised to prescribe the soft contact lens, MiSight® 1 day (proven to substantially slow the progression of myopia in children) when it launched in 2017. Our highly skilled optometrists continually research, study and train to update their skills so that they’re at the forefront of the latest thinking and practices for Myopia Management.

Through our knowledge, experience and understanding of myopia, we can find the best solution for you and your shortsighted child.

For children with myopia, the younger they start the treatment, the better the chance of success. So, if you are myopic and your vision is getting worse, or you are a myopic parent with a child whose prescription is changing, book into our Myopia Management clinic now.