The Use of Contact Lenses to Control Myopia in Children

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a widespread vision disorder that’s currently on the rise. Projections suggest that 50% of the global population will be myopic by 2050¹. And the earlier myopia develops in a child’s life, the greater the risk of significant visual impairment. That’s why CooperVision has developed MiSight®, a revolutionary contact lens that slows the progression of myopia in children.  
 

What is myopia?

Myopia occurs when the eye is a just a bit too long, so that the point where it focuses light falls just short of the retina. More specifically, it’s an imbalance between the length of the eye, the curvature of the cornea or the strength of the lens. It only takes a one-millimetre difference for things to be significantly out of focus. A person with myopia has trouble seeing things that are far away, hence the term nearsighted.

The first signs of myopia

Myopia often makes its first appearance in early adolescence. But the average age of diagnosis is dropping—from age ten or eleven 20 years ago to eight or nine today¹. Children’s earlier development of myopia may have something to do with a reduction in their exposure to natural light, increased hours spent watching a screen, or even homework calling for close visual attention for long periods. Heredity can also be a factor. 

MiSight® contact lenses from CooperVision

We asked the Opto-Réseau Terrebonne clinic to help explain an exciting new solution that can slow down the progression of myopia in children as young as eight. Dr. Isabelle Leclerc, an optometrist at the clinic, explains in this video (French only) how MiSight® contact lenses work and how they might benefit your child’s vision.

Proven effectiveness

MiSight® contact lenses can be used for children and teenagers with corrections between −0.25 and −6.00. The ActivControl® Technology used by MiSight® was developed by CooperVision to address both axial elongation and refractive error. Its effectiveness was demonstrated in a study of children who wore MiSight® 1 Day for three years. By the end of the study, the progress of their myopia was reduced by 59% and axial elongation was reduced by 52% compared to children who wore single-vision one-day lenses². 

As Dr. Leclerc, optometrist, shows, MiSight® is easy for kids and parents to use and can make a big difference in a child’s quality of vision. To learn more about these contact lenses and whether they could be right for your child, make an appointment with an Opto-Réseau optometrist.

Sources

1. Association québécoise des optométristes
2. CooperVision MiSight® 1 day