Orthokeratology
About Myopia
Why is Myopia a concern for children?
Since 2000, there has been a growing trend of myopia globally. Epidemiologists have measured a global myopia rate of 22% in year 2000, growing to 30% currently and predict that by 2050, the rate of myopia globally will be 50%.
What is causing this trend?
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Genetics and parental history.
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High sugar diet.
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Sugar has been shown to cause molecules in our sclera to be weak, thereby losing its resilience to the lengthening of the eyeball which characterises myopia progression.
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Increased near work in formal education.
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Increased use of digital screens and technology from a young age and often poor reading posture or poor reading habits leads to myopia.
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Recommended strategies include increasing reading distance to 30 - 40cm away or elbow length, reading in good natural light, good upright reading posture.
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Recommended strategies of digital device usage includes limiting to 1 - 2 hours per day, and balancing 1:1 digital screen time with outdoor play time and sun exposure.
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Time spent outdoors
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World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends strategies devised to increase the amount of time children spend outdoors, particularly in preschool and primary school. They have recommended 2 hours per day.
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Why is Myopia a concern for children?
Myopia is associated with an increased risk of eye disease in adult life. This is a concern for our children as childhood myopia is known to be progressive until young adult life. By kerbing annual increases in myopia, we are able to significantly reduce a child's risk of eye diseases in their adult life.
Myopia is associated with an increased risk of Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts.
-0.50 to -1.99D 1.59x
-2.00 to -3.99D 3.22x
-4.00 to -5.99D 5.36x
>=-6.00D 12.34x
Myopia is associated with an increased risk of Glaucoma.
< -3.00D 1.65x
> -3.00D 2.46x
Incidence of Myopic Maculopathy.
< -5.00 0.42%
-5.00 to -9.00 25.3%
>-9.00 >50%
Myopia is associated with an increased risk of Retinal Detachment.
-1.00 to -2.99 2.2x
-3.00 to -4.99 9.7x
-5.00 to -6.99 40.6x
-7.00 to -8.99 126.8x
>=-9.00 348.6x
To put these into perspective, we compare these to the risk factors of hypertension.
Systolic BP 140 - 149 1.6x
Systolic BP 150 - 159 2.2x
Systolic BP > 160 3.2x
Smoking as a risk factor for stroke.
<20 Cigarettes per day 2.7x
>20 Cigarettes per day 2.9x
By keeping a child’s prescription below -5.00, we mitigate the risk of the following conditions:
Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts -74%
Glaucoma -67%
Retinal Detachment -98%
Myopic Maculopathy -99%
Brien Holden Vision Institute published in 2016 that reducing myopia by 50% per annum will reduce the incidence of high myopia (-5.00) by 90% globally.
Our goal as eyecare professionals is to improve the quality of our children's vision and eye health for now and into the future for generations to come.
