Poor vision can have a significant impact on a child’s learning and development, particularly in school, as 80% of their learning is visual. Short-sightedness, clinically known as myopia, is a common eye condition that affects 1 in 5 teenagers in the UK and is also very common in children of younger ages. Read on to discover several ways we help manage myopia in our practice and slow down the short-sighted prescription so your child can be ready for the back-to-school season.

Our myopia assessments

Mohamed Kasmani, our highly qualified lead optometrist, has been fully trained to conduct a thorough myopia consultation, having completed courses on Myopia Management by the Brien Holden Vision Institute. Myopia Management Examinations last about 45 minutes and involve a series of tests and assessments designed to evaluate a child’s level of myopia. Each assessment is tailored to the patient’s needs and enables us to create a personalised myopia management plan which takes the child’s daily activities and routines into consideration.

Here is a breakdown of what our optometrists aim to assess and the common tests that are involved with the assessments:

1. Comprehensive eye examination – This includes testing visual acuity and assessing refractive error, which is the degree of short-sightedness. If required we carry out a Cycloplegic refraction, this involves using eye drops to relax the eye’s focusing muscles, allowing for accurate measurement of the degree of short-sightedness without accommodation. It helps us determine the selection of appropriate corrective methods.
2. Axial length measurement – Measuring the length of the eye from front to back allows us to determine the level of myopia and predict its progression to help decide the best treatment option.
3. Corneal topography – Corneal topography maps the cornea’s curvature (outer layer of the front of your eye), which is crucial for fitting contact lenses and assessing corneal health. It helps identify irregularities in the cornea that might impact treatment options.
4. Binocular vision assessment – This evaluation assesses how well the eyes work together. It identifies any problems that might need to be looked at alongside the short-sightedness.
5. Fundus examination with Retinal Imaging – A fundus examination includes retinal imaging, is carried out to help detect any retinal abnormalities or conditions that could affect myopia management.
6. Discussion of lifestyle and family history – A conversation about your child’s lifestyle helps provide a full understanding of their screen time habits, activities, family history and more to allow us to identify the different factors that could be contributing to your child’s myopia.

Our Myopia management methods

We have invested in some of the most advanced, state-of-the-art technologies to ensure we provide the most accurate diagnosis and solutions to our patients. The Revo 80 OCT is an instrument that takes high-resolution images of the eye to observe and monitor axial length (length of the eye) over time. This allows us to identify If the condition is developing and helps us choose the best and most suited myopia management method for the patient.

We also use the Ocumetra in our practice, a valuable tool that predicts myopia progression. This supports parents in understanding how myopia is affecting their children and the negative consequences it can have on their sight.

One of the most common and well-known methods of managing short-sightedness is through spectacle lenses. MiYOSMART spectacle lenses are designed to help slow down the progression of myopia by 60%, using a special D.I.M.S technology. This creates a ring-shaped treatment area on the lens to slow down myopia progression whilst managing it simultaneously. Another myopia control spectacle lens we provide is Essilor’s Stellest lenses. These feature two complimentary parts that have been proven to slow down the progression of myopia by 67%, and provide clear, sharp vision. Research has found that 100% of children fully adapt to wearing Stellest short-sighted glasses within a week.

Contact lenses for myopia are another option for effective myopia management. Mylo by Mark’ennovy is a monthly disposable contact lens specifically for myopia management. Its Extended Depth Focus technology slows the progression while supporting a comfortable adaptation to the lens. The lens design signals slow down eye growth by degrading the image quality behind the eye, which helps reduce the risk of the eye growing in length.

Another lens we supply is Coopervision’s MiSight 1-day contact lenses. These daily disposable lenses correct the child’s short-sightedness to allow a clear and spectacle-free vision all day long. Featuring multiple vision and treatment zones, these lenses provide clear vision and have been proven to slow down myopia at the speed at which it progresses.

Bloom by Menicon is also an effective choice for myopia management. This control method consists of lenses that help slow down the progression of myopia whilst also correcting the vision to provide your child with clear vision all day long.

Lastly, we have our Night Lenses, known as Orthokeratology. Night Lenses are specially designed contact lenses worn overnight to gently and temporarily reshape the cornea, improving vision during the day without needing glasses or contact lenses.

We also provide Scotlens, which are also another make of overnight lenses. They are a high contender for myopia control and allow the patient to have corrected vision 24 hours a day, transforming your child’s day with comfort and no need for vision correction, only at night.

 

Get in touch

Myopia management is crucial to ensure that a child’s progression of short-sightedness is controlled and does not lead to the risk of eye diseases such as retinal detachment, cataracts, or glaucoma. Whilst there are many myopia management methods to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know which one is best for your child. Our dedicated team will take the time to get to know you and your child, guiding you through the various options. Contact our opticians in Feltham West London and help ensure your children’s future vision is protected.