What is short-sightedness?
Short-sightedness is the more commonly known term for an eye condition called myopia. It affects both adults and children and causes distant objects to be out of focus and blurry, whereas near vision and close objects can be viewed more clearly. The condition currently affects approximately 80 million children around the world, a figure which is set to increase sharply by 2050. Additionally, the average onset age of myopia is also getting progressively younger; in 1983 it was 11-years-old, whereas in the year 2000 it was eight-years-old***
What symptoms should I look out for?
-Complaints of headaches or tired eyes -Difficulty seeing the front of the classroom -Not able to notice distant objects -Blinking excessively -Holding books very close when reading -Sitting very close TV or screens -Rubbing eyes frequently -Squinting
If my child has myopia, what are the options?
Treating myopia earlier on can not only slow the progression of it in the long-term, but it can also reduce potential eye health issues in the future.
Glasses: As you know, glasses can help your child to see more clearly but it will have very little or no effect on slowing the progression of myopia.
Contact lenses: Lenses like MiSight 1 day have been proven to reduce the rate of myopia in young children.
How will my child cope with contact lenses? Aren’t they difficult to manage? Not to mention the risks of infections!
Many parents and carers worry about whether their child is mature enough to handle and manage wearing contact lenses. They are daily disposable lenses which means there’s no cleaning, need for disinfection or worrying about lost lenses! Once the lenses are in, they must be worn for a minimum of six or more days per week, for at least 10 or more hours per day.
Our optometrist Imran Darbar said: “More often than not, it is easier to teach children as young as 8 to fit contact lenses as they are quick learners and generally more compliant. Children are also less likely to get contact lens associated infections compared to adults due to better compliance from children.”
Not only that, but the lenses may also reduce the risk of eye diseases such as retinal detachment and glaucoma, which are all associated with short-sightedness.
Initially, one of our optometrists will assess your child’s suitability for the treatment. The next step is to fit the contact lenses and to teach your child how to successfully insert and remove them. There is also a trial of up to 2 weeks to make sure you and your child are comfortable and happy with the process. If you’d like to know more about fitting contact lenses to children click here
What is the success rate for using these lenses?
Over a three-year clinical trial, MiSight 1-day contact lenses reduced myopia progression by 59% (compared with standard single vision correction) with:
90% of children preferring to wear MiSight contact lenses over spectacles
90% of children able to insert and remove contact lenses on their own
100% of parents saying their children were happy with the experience
The MiSight daily disposable contact lenses can give your child better vision even when they are not wearing glasses or contact lenses. The lenses optically correct existing myopia giving clear distance and near vision. Additionally, they reduce the chance of children developing high levels of myopia which is more of a reason to opt for these lenses over glasses.
What’s great about MiSight is, it may even improve your child’s self-esteem when it comes to their ability to join in with sports activities and sometimes even social acceptance.
What causes short-sightedness?
The two main risk factors for developing myopia are:
Genetic –
When a child has two short-sighted parents, it has a 46% chance of developing myopia. When one parent is myopic the child will have a 31% chance of developing the condition and when neither parents are myopic, their child will have a 22% chance of developing myopia.
Behavioural
Reading/gaming on portable devices, low levels of outdoor activity and poor lighting are all factors which contribute to the development of myopia.
Cost
The initial assessment cost is FREE and then you will be required to sign up to our Plan2BFree subscription, which is a monthly direct debit of £45. This will include:
Regular supplies of contact lenses
Contact lens examination
Annual eye examination with:
Optomap retinal imaging (Preston) or
OCT examination (Lytham)
30% discount off glasses (excludes ready-readers)
30% discount off sunglasses.
(£40 registration fee for Plan2BFree) Please note: If the direct debit is cancelled within 12 months the initial appointments and the full retail cost of the products will be charged.
References:
*Compared with a single – vision, one-day lens over a three-year period. ** Siatkowski RM, Cotter SA, et al. Two-year Multicenter, Randomised, Double-masked, placebo-controlled, parallel Safety and Efficacy Study of 2 & Pirenzepine Opthalmic Gel in Children with Myopia. J AAPOS 2008; 12:332-339 ***Wolffsohn JS, Calossi A, Cho P, et al. Global Trends in Myopia Management Attitudes and Strategies in clinical Practice. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2016; 39:106-16
MiSight 1 day contact lenses may not slow the rate of myopia progression in ALL children and will not cure myopia.