• Oliver Munro

Myopia management – controlling the epidemic

Is your prescription increasing every year?

Are you tired of wearing glasses?

Do you want to be free of glasses and contact lenses during the day?

Specialised methods are available at Mortimer Hirst for correcting and slowing the progression of myopia (short-sightedness). Mortimer Hirst is dedicated to providing tailored myopia control options and reducing the prevalence of this condition one patient at a time.

What is myopia? Myopia, or short-sightedness, is a condition that most people consider inconvenient rather than sight-threatening. Often arising in adolescence, myopia is noticed as the blurring of far away objects such as the whiteboard or street signs. The eyeball is too long in myopia, and your optometrist may prescribe glasses or contact lenses to achieve clear vision. Often the prescription will increase and stronger glasses or contact lenses will inventively be required at some stage.

Why do individuals get myopia? Anyone can become short-sighted. There are of course some main risk factors including genetics; individuals with two short-sighted parents are several times more likely to develop myopia than those with none. People of Asian descent are also more susceptible. Possibly the most worrying risk factor is near work and lack of time spent outdoors in natural light, a common occurrence among children in today’s digital age.  

Why worry about myopia? Myopia is reaching a global epidemic. As the eyeball grows, the risk of associated sight-threatening diseases increases. Diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma and retinal detachments are more common in those with any level of myopia, and significantly more so in those with uncontrolled higher levels.

What can be done to reduce this potentially sight-threatening condition? Traditional glasses and contact lenses help to create clear vision. However they do not slow the progression of myopia on their own. Fortunately, over recent years, a number of methods to slow the progression have been developed, including glasses, contact lenses and eye drops, or in some instances, combinations of more than one of these.

The optometrists at Mortimer Hirst have vast experience in each of these areas of myopia management at both an evidence-based clinical and research level. They utilise the most up to date, innovative methods for myopia control, and are constantly expanding and adapting their knowledge base in this area. All myopia control patients are followed very closely, and should the prescription continue to increase despite attempted control, further interventions or combination therapies may be implemented.

Overnight Orthokeratology: ‘Ortho-K’ provides clear vision without the use of glasses or contact lenses during waking hours. It also helps to slow the progression of myopia, so is often a safe and convenient method for children and teenagers. Adults can wear Ortho-K lenses too, for a variety of prescriptions. Specially designed contact lenses are worn only during sleeping hours where they temporarily reshape the cornea (the clear window at the front of the eye). Precise measurements using the latest instruments and software, which are used to calculate the exact lens suitable for the shape and prescription of your unique eye, can be performed by your Mortimer Hirst optometrist. The specific design of these lenses allows a ‘myopia control’ ring to be shaped into the cornea. Contact Mortimer Hirst if you are interested in seeing if you may be a suitable Ortho-K candidate, or visit www.orthok.co.nz for further information.

Dual focus soft contact lenses: Some patients may not qualify for Ortho-K, but still wish to wear contact lenses. Myopia control ‘dual focus’ soft daily wear contact lenses are available at Mortimer Hirst. Like traditional soft contact lenses, these provide clear vision, but are modified to create a ‘myopia control’ effect. Research has suggested that these are as effective in controlling myopia as Ortho-K, therefore providing an excellent alternative.

Low Dose Atropine Eye Drops: Some patients may not be suitable or ready for contact lens wear, or may prefer to wear glasses. Low dose atropine eye drops, used once a day usually near bedtime, in combination with glasses may be indicated to help to slow the progression of myopia. These can be prescribed by your therapeutically qualified Optometrist at Mortimer Hirst. Atropine eye drops may also be used as an additional level of control to other therapies. They are very effective in slowing the progression of myopia, and as they are only used at very low doses, they are safe.

Oliver Munro, Optometrist, www.olivermunro.co.nz Mortimer Hirst, 42-44 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna


Issue 83 Dec 2017 / Jan 2018