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Practitioner home > Clinical resources > Myopia control in youth

Myopia control in youth

A global epidemic

The prevalence of myopia in young people is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide, bringing with it a host of health risks and related costs.

 

In North America, the prevalence of myopia has increased to 42.1% in 2020 vs. 28.3% in 2000.1 A UK study found that nearly 50% of university students were myopic.2 In Taiwan, research shows an increase of almost 65% over the past 50 years.3 Worldwide, the prevalence of myopia is expected to increase from 2 billion in 2010 to 5 billion in 2050.4

The toll of myopia

The spread of myopia causes substantial costs to the individual and society. Compared to emmetropes, patients with even 1D of myopia face an increased lifetime risk of developing glaucoma, posterior subcapsular cataracts, retinal detachment and macular degeneration. Patients whose myopia progresses into the 5–6D range have 40 times the risk of suffering from macular degeneration.1

Options for prevention and correction

Eye Care Professionals are in a unique position to help prevent and control the myopia epidemic. Some options are:

  • Behavioural change
    The chances of a child becoming myopic are reduced by approximately 30% if the child spends more than 14 daytime hours a week outdoors.5  Parents should be urged to encourage children to engage in outdoor activities as a preventative measure.
  • Pharmaceutical treatment
  • Spectacle lenses
  • Contact lenses
    MiSight® 1 day is the first and only FDA-approved* contact lens to slow the progression of myopia in children aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment.6**

To view the latest results on the MiSight® 1 day clinical study, please click here

 

 

* USA Indications for Use: MiSight® 1 Day (omafilcon A) Soft (Hydrophilic) Contact Lenses for daily wear are indicated for the correction of myopic ametropia and for slowing the progression of myopia in children with non-diseased eyes, who at the initiation of treatment are 8-12 years of age and have a refraction of -0.75 to -4.00 diopters (spherical equivalent) with ≤ 0.75 diopters of astigmatism. The lens is to be discarded after each removal.

** Compared to a single vision 1 day lens over a 3-year period.

  1. Holden BA, Fricke TR, Wilson DA, et al. Global prevalence of myopia and high myopia and temporal trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology. 2016;123(5):1036-1042.
  2. Logan NS, Davies LN, Mallen EA, Gilmartin B. Ametropia and ocular biometry in a U.K. university student population. Optom Vis Sci. 2005;82(4):261-266.
  3. Guo YH, Lin HY, Lin LL, Cheng CY. Self-reported myopia in Taiwan: 2005 Taiwan National Health Interview Survey. Eye (Lond). 2012;26(5):684-689.
  4. Flitcroft, DI. The complex interactions of retinal, optical and environmental factors in myopia aetiology. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2012;31(6):622-660.
  5. Rose KA, Morgan IG, Ip J, et al. Outdoor activity reduces the prevalence of myopia in children. Ophthalmology. 2008;115(8):1279-1285.
  6. Chamberlain P, et al. A 3-year Randomized Clinical Trial of MiSight Lenses for Myopia Control. Optom Vis Sci. 2019;96(8):556–567.