This article was written by Rachael Smith at Rawlings Opticians & Hearing Care
MiYOSMART spectacle lenses from Hoya correct short sight enabling clear vision, but also slow the overgrowth of the eye that causes increasing myopia through their unique design. There is a treatment ring in the lens which help to focus light in front of the retina at the periphery.
This treatment ring can be seen if the lens is tipped carefully towards the light and consists of hundreds of tiny segments providing an additional correction. It is this peripheral effect that is believed to slow down unwanted eye overgrowth.
All myopia treatments involve altering the peripheral focus (apart from low dose atropine drops where although found to be effective, the detailed mechanism of action is not fully understood.)
The lens centre focuses on vision correction and your child will see clearly though the lenses as well as benefitting from the peripheral treatment zone.
How do they differ from normal glasses lenses?
Standard glasses lenses only focus on allowing clear vision with no treatment zones to slow myopia progression. It is well known that in most cases myopia progresses as children grow, and this is due to a tiny degree of overgrowth of the length of the eye.
This is thought to be stimulated by a mix of genetic factors, and environmental factors such as screen use and indoor time. About 90% of children respond well to Myopia Management, with the remainder thought to have a genetic drive too strong to overcome with currently available treatments.
Why do we want to slow the progression of Myopia?
As well as the inconvenience of blurry vision without glasses, being myopic can limit career choice over certain levels and thus life opportunities.
Additionally certain eye diseases in later life are more prevalent the more myopic the prescription, including retinal detachment, cataracts, glaucoma and macular disease.
As myopia increases globally (predicted to be half the world’s population by 2050) this is a growing public health issue as well as the personal impact that eye disease has on the affected individual.
How do they feel?
MiYOSMART glasses lenses are thin and light and most children cannot notice anything different about them to normal glasses after the first few hours or days of wear.
Medical Disclaimer
This article is for information purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your health care provider or seek other professional medical treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something that you have read on this blog, website or in any linked materials.
