Do you have questions about myopia? Q&A with expert optician

[CeriMumsnet]

This Q&A is now closed. Thanks to everyone who shared a question on myopia for Charlotte, you can see the answers here.

Don't forget to sign up to attend Essilor's Class of Myopia event in Kensington on Friday 29 November to learn more!

We’re working with Essilor’s expert dispensing optician, Charlotte Timbury, to answer your questions about myopia (short-sightedness) in children. Whether you have questions about how myopia is detected, or you’d like some advice on how to manage your child’s myopia, Charlotte and Essilor are here to help.

• Post your questions on the thread below.
• Everyone who shares a question on the thread below by 12/11 will be entered into a prize draw to win a £200 voucher
• Charlotte will be online in a few weeks to answer some of your questions.
• To learn more about short-sightedness in children, sign up here to attend Essilor’s ‘Class of Myopia’ event for families on 29 November.

About the expert
Charlotte Timbury FBDO qualified as a dispensing optician in 2002. With over twenty years’ experience in optics, she began her career in a highly successful, independent practice before joining Essilor in 2014. Here she has held various roles from business development manager to professional relations; a role with a primary focus on developing and delivering education and training to the industry as well as other support to various optical bodies. Charlotte is now the North Europe medical and professional affairs director for EssilorLuxottica, the manufacturers of Essilor® Stellest® lenses.

Here’s what Essilor® Stellest® lenses has to say:

“By 2025, myopia is predicted to impact half(1) of the World’s population and a
staggering one billion people are predicted to have high myopia. Higher degrees of myopia pose a greater risk of ocular complications that may lead to visual impairment or even blindness later in life. However, the earlier myopia is detected and managed in a child, the greater the chance progression can be slowed down with simple lifestyle changes and wearing a myopia control spectacle lens such as Essilor® Stellest® lenses.

A new survey(2) commissioned by Essilor® Stellest® lenses amongst 1,000 UK parents has also revealed gaps in knowledge around myopia in children, with 94% of parents of myopic children wrongly believing that wearing glasses will solve the problem.”

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ
Insight Terms and Conditions apply

References:

1. Source: 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.doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2016.01.006
2. International survey conducted by Ipsos in 6 countries on 6007 parents with at least one child aged from 5 to 17, from a representative sample of individuals aged from 25 to 60 in terms of age, gender, occupation, region. UK: 1000 interviews / Italy: 1001 interviews / France: 1000 interviews / Brazil: 1001 interviews / India: 1005 interviews / China: 1000 interviews. Online interviews from June 24th to July 15th 2024

How do the special lenses for myopia actually work?

If it does work - is it permanent of can eyes regress back again in time ?

Why aren’t the special lenses available on the NHS yet? I’ve been told by my DD’s optician that she MUST have them (as her Myopia is so bad in one eye) but I’m a lone parent on a low income. Apparently there’s no discounts available at all.

the special lenses? Not available on the NHS and cost over £200!

My 5YO had just started wearing the myopia lenses and seems very happy. We are told at every appointment to ensure she gets 2hrs of sunlight daily, what is the reason for this?

How many hours a day should the lenses be worn for best effect ?

Is it true that spending 90 minutes outside every day can have a big impact on prevention deteriorating eyesight in children with myopia?

what is the maximum age to start this ? (if your child will not tolerate glasses at a young age)

I'm 55 with astigmatism. I wear contact lenses for short sight and reading glasses on top (x2)

I couldn't get along at all with varifocals.

On days off from my lenses and at night, I take my glasses off and hold my phone inches away to read 😬

Are there any alternative workable solutions for me out there?
Thanks.

I'm 56 and my contact lens prescription is -5 in each eye .

If I leave my lenses in I use reading glasses on top for computer work/reading

I tried daily varifocals contact lenses for a month and found them very comfortable and excellent for computer work and reading - the only thing I didn't find them great for was driving - I felt I couldn't see as well with these as I did with my normal contact lenses.

Do you think it works to mix between the two eg varifocals on days when doing less driving and more pc work and standard lenses when driving more or should you stick to one type only ?

My DD is using MiSight contact lenses which seems to be keeping her prescription steady at 0.75 and 2.00. When can she switch to standard lenses - early adulthood?

Dd is 23yo and has been -11 for ages but jumped to -14. Will she keep getting worse? Is there anything she can do to improve her sight?

Dd is 12 and had myopia. Has been seen every 6 months for the past few years and eyes getting worse each time. At last appointment they said there has been an improvement in her eyes and have reduced the strength in her prescription and have now put her back on yearly checkups.

Feel a bit uneasy at this as last time I was told they had to keep a check every 6 months and that it wouldn't improve, it would keep getting worse until she got special lenses

do you think adult myopia would ever be cured by lenses - I would love to see without glasses - but won't go down the laser surgery route.

Can I use any frame for these lenses - or are frames choices restricted for this treatment ?

Can one lens be clear and the other to help cure the shortsightedness if both eyes have a differing prescription ?

Is there a choice of frames for these lenses ?

Can you tell me how long the glasses need to be worn per day for - the avererage for best results >

Can an optician predict it a child is likely to be short sighted - if they are born with 20/20 vision - but are likely to deteriorate with age

I am very short sighted (-7) with astigmatism, is it likely my kids will be affected too?

How rare is it to have myopia of -15.5/-16? What is the best answer for sight correction for this degree of myopia? Can afford private surgery? So fed up with glasses that make my eyes look tiny and distort the sides of my face!

Can you have the lens just for one eye ?

Do you think most opticians will offer this ? and at what age is best to start this treatment ?

Hi everyone - wow, what an incredible response! Thank you for showing such an interest in this incredibly important topic, I will try my best to answer all of your questions. To give some background, I have been working in the optical industry since 1998 and qualified as a dispensing optician (DO) in 2001. A dispensing optician is a healthcare professional that has a variety of roles, primarily to advise, fit and supply the most suitable spectacle frames and lenses for the patient. However, we also provide clinical advice and guidance on common eye conditions and can refer patients for emergency eye care. When it comes to myopia (short-sightedness), an important part of a DO's role is to advise and dispense speciality spectacle lenses to slow down the progression of myopia but also to raise awareness and educate parents and children as to the importance of commencing myopia management treatments as soon as they are able.

It became apparent from a recent poll, which Essilor® Stellest® lenses ran with Ipsos, that many parents and even those whose children are myopic, lack accurate information about myopia. The vast majority of parents of myopic children (94%) wrongly believe that having their myopic child wear glasses or contact lenses solves the problem, unaware that myopia can progress even with corrective lenses.

Hopefully my answers will help clear up any confusion and remember there’s still time to sign up to Essilor’s ‘Class of Myopia’ event for families on 29 November in Kensington to learn more about short-sightedness in children. Sign up here to attend.

Hi @prawncocktailcrispss Unfortunately, spending extended periods of time on close work has been linked to the development of myopia (1,2) . This includes reading, drawing, playing computer games, and using smartphones or tablets. The rise in the popularity of handheld devices means that children are now exposed to close work from younger and younger ages. Regular eye tests as directed by your eye care professional are important for monitoring eye health and identifying early signs of myopia

1. Gifford, K. L., Richdale, K., Kang, P., Aller, T. A., Lam, C. S., Liu, Y. M., Michaud, L., Mulder, J., Orr, J. B., Rose, K. A., Saunders, K. J., Seidel, D., Tideman, J., & Sankaridurg, P. (2019). IMI - Clinical Management Guidelines Report. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 60(3), M184–M203. doi.org/10.1167/iovs.18-25977
2. Wen, L., Cao, Y., Cheng, Q., Li, X., Pan, L., Li, L., Zhu, H., Lan, W., Yang, Z., 2020. Objectively measured near work, outdoor exposure and myopia in children. Br. J. Ophthalmol. doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2019-315258