What Is Myopia?

Short-sightedness (also known as myopia) occurs when the eye cannot focus the light correctly, making your vision blurry. Things further away from you will be more out of focus than objects close to you.

Myopia is thought to affect up to 1 in 3 people in the UK and is becoming more common.

Myopia can occur at any age, but it usually develops between 6 to 13 years old.

Signs that your child may be short-sighted can include:

needing to sit near the front of the class at school because they find it difficult to read the whiteboard
sitting close to the TV
complaining of headaches or tired eyes
regularly rubbing their eyes

Normal vision

Myopia

Correction with lens

What is Myopia Management?

Once a child becomes short sighted, it is likely that they will become gradually more short sighted as they continue to grow. It’s not yet known exactly why this happens, but it is thought to be caused by a mixture of genetic and environmental influences that affect the eye’s development. The myopia usually stabilises at around eighteen years of age.

In recent years, there have been developments in technology that have been confirmed to slow down the progression of myopia in clinical studies.

Night Lenses

These rigid contact lenses are worn overnight and removed in the morning. They slightly alter the shape of the eye while you sleep, providing clearer vision the following day. Clinical studies indicate that these lenses can slow down the development of myopia.

For more information, read our full Night Lenses Information by clicking here

Day Lenses

These contact lenses, also called MiSight lenses, are worn to correct your vision during the day and are removed before you go to sleep. They are single-use and therefore do not need to be cleaned and stored overnight. Clinical studies indicate that these lenses can slow down the development of myopia.

For more information, please read our full Day Lenses Information by clicking here

Specialised Spectacle Lenses

These glasses lenses are known as MiYOSMART lenses, made by HOYA using new technology. They are used in normal frames and sharpen the vision like normal spectacles. Clinical studies indicate that these glasses lenses can slow down the development of myopia.

For more information, please read our full Specialised Spectacle Lenses information by clicking here

Standard Spectacle and Contact lenses

Normal glasses and contact lenses will focus light and sharpen vision when they are worn. However, they will not slow the worsening of myopia.

Myopia Management