It is exciting to finally have a new option to help young children who are becoming myopic (short-sighted) - Miyosmart. This is a novel spectacle lens designed specifically to help slow the progression of myopia.
When young people present to us with blurred vision and we discover they are myopic, our hearts sink. We know, from clinical experience, that myopia is likely to get worse in the upcoming years. This results in the eye actually lengthening, which creates a lifelong risk of sight threatening eye conditions. (We have more information about the myopia epidemic, and myopia control contact lenses.)
Miyosmart is a lens specifically designed to treat myopia, with studies that show this lens slows progression by half.
How does it work? The lens has a central zone, which will give clear vision in the distance. In the treatment outer zone of the lens numerous small dimples create defocus on the peripheral retina. This peripheral focus is believed to slow the growth and elongation of the eye.
The study in Hong Kong followed 160 young people over two years. Myopia for the the 79 Miyosmart wearers progressed at half the rate of the group wearing the traditional single vision spectacle lenses.
How does this compare with other types of glasses lenses we have been using? Whenever possible we avoid single vision lenses, instead using lenses which are progressive. These have been the best option and evidence from clinical studies suggests myopia is slowed by about a third.
Other treatment options are contact lenses and Atropine eye drops. The results for Miyosmart match these. So this creates a very exciting treatment option for children not able to manage contact lenses.
Would you like to read more about Myopia check out our Myopia Resources & Links.