Myopia (or shortsight) is becoming increasingly more common. Although easily corrected with spectacles or contact lenses most people with myopia would prefer to be less reliant on glasses or contact lenses for clear vision. As such parents and young people with progressing myopia have often asked our Optometrists what can be done to stop their prescriptions getting worse. Until recently the answer was “unfortunately not a lot” and that there was no significant evidence that myopia progression can be slowed using glasses, contact lenses or eye exercises.

Over the past several years however things have changed… There is now a convincing body of scientific evidence that shows the rate of myopia progression can be slowed (by 50% on average) by the fitting of two special types of contact lenses.  These are:

• OrthoK contact lenses
• Soft bifocal contact lenses

Normal contact lenses and glasses lenses are known to present a blurred image to the peripheral eye despite giving clear central vision.  This peripheral blur is thought to drive eye growth, the process responsible for increasing myopia.  The optical qualities of OrthoK and soft bifocal contact lenses are known to reduce this peripheral blur and thus are thought to reduce the stimulus that drives eye elongation.  This is evident as slowed myopia progression.

Contact us for more information or to find out if your child is suitable for myopia control.