MYOPIA CONTROL TREATMENT

Myopia Control Treatment that Works

Myopia is an eye condition that causes the distance vision to be blurred. It typically gets worse over the teenage years and the deterioration can continue even into a person’s twenties and thirties. How thanks to new remedies we can now slow down the progression of this condition and in some cases even stop it completely.

Our Optometrists David and Mark have specific training and experience in myopia control backed up by the practice having technology such as the ZEISS IOL Master to precisely monitor eye growth and myopic progression.

Research based techniques employed by David and Mark are;

• Advice on lighting levels and spending time outdoors. Three hours a day outdoors or in a room with lighting over 1000 Lumens. Normal room lighting is usually 200-300 Lumens.
• No more than an hour a day using very close electronic devices such as smart phones
• Clever spectacle lenses such as the MiyoSmart lens by Hoya which is claimed to slow myopic deterioration by 60%
• Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) contact lenses- contact lenses which reshape the front surface of the eye. They are worn at night allowing the wearer to see clearer the next day without the lenses in or wearing glasses. Ortho-K is effective at slowing myopia.
• Soft “myopia control” contact lenses. An easy option and often a preferable option for teenagers and children instead of glasses. Soft myopia control contact lenses have been shown to be very effective at slowing myopic progression.
• Atropine Eye Drops; A low doses eyedrop of atropine instilled in the eye at night before bed is very effective at slowing myopia and simple to administer.

What is Myopia?

Myopia (short-sightedness) is an eye condition whereby a patient is unable to see clearly into the distance whilst still holding the ability to see nearby objects clearly. This long-distance vision loss is a consequence of the eyeball elongating, causing a patients central vision to become blurry. Myopia is more than just vision loss, correlating highly with poor eye health, so it is important to maintain regular check-ups after diagnosis.

Myopia Control Treatment

Simple eye formulas prescribed by David effectively slow down the progression of Myopia. These formulas comprise the latest Myopia Control Treatment that works by reducing the growth of the eyeball, therefore slowing further vision loss. Early intervention is the most effective mode of treatment, with the condition most commonly worsening throughout a person’s teenage years.

Orthokeratology

Orthokeratology (also known as Ortho-K) may sound dramatic but it’s quite simple. Like orthodontics and orthopaedics, the ortho in orthokeratology means correction. Orthodontics corrects teeth. Orthokeratology corrects the cornea: the front surface of the eye.

Ortho-K are lenses worn only while the patient sleeps to reduce eye growth and to provide temporary visual relief. Once the patient wakes up, they can take out their lenses and have clear vision for the entirety of the day without the need of glasses. This optical therapy is effective in both short-term and long-term treatment of myopia (short-sightedness), hyperopia (far-sightedness), presbyopia and astigmatism (blurred vision), as the lenses significantly slow the progression of these eye conditions whilst simultaneously providing temporary visual relief to the patient.

This is a fantastic alternative for people who don’t want to wear contact lenses or spectacles during the day, and would rather avoid eye surgery.

How does it work?

The lenses are commonly referred to as Corneal Reshaping Treatment, as the lenses gently reshape the highly elastic cornea through a flattening effect. This reduces further eye growth, therefore slowing the progression of these eye conditions. The flattening effect is what provides temporary visual relief, which generally lasts for the waking hours (~16hrs). Improvements in vision can usually be seen the very next day, with the effect stabilizing after approximately one week. Through the continuation of this routine, seamless clear vision can be maintained.

The individual lenses are designed to mold the front surface of your eye as you wear them overnight. The process uses the forces of the tear fluid beneath the lens to reshape the cornea to the lens design. For the treatment of myopia, the lens produces a flatter central cornea and steepens the peripheral cornea, correcting nearsightedness by decreasing the power of the eye. For hyperopia and presbyopia, the reverse geometry design of the contact lens steepens the central cornea and flattens the peripheral cornea, correcting long-sightedness by increasing the power of the eye.

The Ortho-K patient, once successfully fitted, is then free from wearing glasses or conventional contact lenses during the day.

Are Ortho-K lenses comfortable?

Ortho-K lenses are surprisingly comfortable, with most people commenting that they forget they have lenses in after the first week. It is an ideal solution for those who are sensitive to air conditioning with regular daytime contact lenses and those who wish to play sport freely.

Is it safe?

The Corneal Reshaping effect from the lenses is temporary, and only takes effect whilst the patient is maintaining consistent use of the lenses, meaning there is little risk involved. As the lenses do not make permanent changes to your eyes, your eyes will revert to their former state within one to four weeks if you stop wearing the lenses. You can stop wearing the lenses at any time in favour of glasses or regular contacts.

The risks of wearing ortho-K lenses are no higher than any other contacts. Of course, proper care is important to minimise the risk of allergies and bacterial infections from poor hygiene.

Additionally, David Shanahan Optometrists utilises custom-designed Ortho-K lenses from Innovative Contacts, made from highly oxygen permeable materials, to maximize the ocular health of your eyes. David also completed additional training to grant him with the certifications to fit Orthokeratology contact lenses to his patients.

Who can benefit from Ortho-K?

Ortho-K is suitable for those who are unable to wear contact lenses, such as those involved in contact sports or who work in dusty environments.

Children and young adults who do not want to wear glasses, but are too young for LASIK or unsuitable for refractive surgery due to dry eye, are also ideal candidates.

You must have a healthy cornea that is free of disease to wear Ortho-K lenses. This criterion is the same as for potential candidates for laser surgeries such as LASIK.

Myopia Control Soft Contact Lenses

Soft Contact Lenses give a patient clear long-distance vision when worn whilst simultaneously slowing the progression of myopia. The lenses do so by fully correcting the eye’s central vision, giving the patient clear vision wherever they direct their eyes when worn. This is aided by the lenses lowering the correction of a patient’s peripheral vision which reduces the elongation of the eyeball, subsequently slowing myopic progression.

Pharmaceutical Eye Drops (Atropine and Pirenzepine)

Eye drops are used to reduce further visual reduction but they do not restore perfect vision on their own. Eye drops can be used in conjunction with Orthokeratology or Myopia Control Soft Contact Lenses. However, the long-term side effects and permanent efficacy of eye drops are an ongoing subject of clinical research, with other modes of treatment still required to assist for myopic correction.

Specific Myopia Management Spectacles

Myopia Management lenses visually correct the eye to the same effectiveness as standard spectacle lenses, whilst simultaneously slowing the progression of myopia. These lenses slow the progression of myopia by blurring the peripheral elements on the lens, discouraging eye growth. For patients who are looking to slow myopic progression, we strongly recommend fitting Specific Myopia Management spectacles to your frames rather than standard spectacle lenses.

Why We Do Not Recommend fitting Standard Spectacle Lenses for Myopic Patients

Though standard spectacle lenses effectively assist temporary visual correction of myopia, David does not recommend fitting them to patients with myopia as the lenses do not control the progression of the condition. If your glasses are fitted with Standard Spectacle lenses, do not worry as they do not damage the eye. Rather, research suggests that the peripheral correction of standard spectacle lenses is too strong to control eye growth, so the eye may continue to grow when wearing them. Further research is still required to determine the long-term effects of standard spectacle lenses on myopia.

If you are at all concerned about your prescription, you can book an appointment with David or give us a call on (08) 6245 8626 to speak to our friendly staff regarding your spectacles.

What You Can Do to Slow Myopic Progression

In addition to these treatment strategies, simple lifestyle changes can help prevent the development and progression of myopia. Here are some recommendations:

• Take part in outdoor activities
• Remember UV protection
• Keep Digital Devices at a distance
• Ensure you take a break
• Turn on the light

Concerned about myopia? Book an eye appointment with David.

David Shanahan Optometrists utilises the latest eye-scanning technology from Zeiss to measure myopia. The scanner allows David to specifically prescribe Myopia Control Therapy for your eye condition. David also completed additional training to grant him with the certifications to fit orthokeratology contact lenses to his patients.

Early preventative check-ups can detect potential eye problems. A visit to your optometrist every twelve months ensures that your prescription is correct.

To book an appointment with David, call us on (08) 6245 8626 or book online here.