Myopia, also known as short sightedness, is when the eyeball is too long or the front surface of the eye is too curved, causing light to focus in front of the in front of the back of the eye instead of directly on it.
This makes far away objects appear blurry while close objects remain clear. It is predicted that by 2050, 50% of the world’s population will be myopic.
This makes far away objects appear blurry while close objects remain clear. It is predicted that by 2050, 50% of the world’s population will be myopic.
- Genetics: A person with one myopic parent is 3x more likely to be myopic, and 6x more likely if both parents are.
- Lifestyle: More time working at a close distance such as reading, using screens, or studying for long periods. Screen time is being introduced to kids much younger, putting them at a higher risk of myopia.
- Environmental Factors: Less time outside exposed to bright light. Children who grow up in urban areas with less exposure to the outdoors are far more likely to develop myopia than children living in rural areas.
- Ethnicity: east Asian children are more likely to develop myopia.
- Blurred far vision, but clear close up
- Squinting
- Headaches
- Sitting close to TV
- Screwing up eyes
- Eye strain
Why is Myopia Management Important?
Kids are still growing, meaning myopia tends to get worse as the eyeball grows too.
The younger the child is when myopia starts to progress, the faster the progression happens over a longer period of time. This will lead to progressively worse vision and increased risks of certain eye diseases in adulthood.
What eye diseases are linked to myopia?
- Retinal Detachment
- Myopic Macular Degeneration (If a person is very short-sighted due to the eyeball
growing, the macula can stretch and tear overtime.) - Glaucoma
- Cataracts
With Myopia Management we can slow down myopic progression by up to 67% using the following treatments.
Lifestyle Modifications:
- Take breaks from close work. This is where the 20/20/20 rule has stemmed from, every 20 Minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This allows the eye muscles to fully relax.
- Keep at least a forearms distance from close work at all times.
- Limit screen time. Younger and younger children are using smartphones and tablets on a regular basis, and this is leading to myopia in younger ages. No more than 2 hours/day is recommended for school age children and teenagers.
- Encourage time outdoors. 90 minutes a day will make a big difference regardless if that is walking, relaxing, playing or sports.
Ortho-keratology. These are hard lenses worn overnight to reshape the cornea, meaning glasses don’t have to be worn during the day. Ortho-k lenses can slow myopic progression by 50% when worn correctly.
MiSight Contact Lenses. These are soft daily contact lenses made by Cooper vision. These are a great option for children who don’t want to wear glasses everyday but want to control myopia. We offer these as part of our direct debit scheme which allows automatic shipment, so your child never has to go without.
We offer 2 market leading myopia control lenses, giving you the choice to decide. They are a great way to slow the growth of a child’s eye and reduce myopic progression.
To make these accessible to all, it is possible to pay a deposit and set up a monthly payment plan to cover the remaining balance and cover your child’s specialist myopia clinic visits.
We also offer Essilor Stellest and Hoya Miyosmart lenses, giving you the freedom to choose what you feel is best for your child and not just correct myopia, control it.
…Opticare have been looking after my eyes for the best part of 15yrs and provide me with easily the most comprehensive eye test available!
Exceptional service and value. Better prices on frames than other high street chains but with accurate measurements and quality. Care and professionalism beyond any optical company i have used before. Its not often these days but I am blown away but the service and support that opticare give is second to none. Excellent Thank-you
In a bind with my last set of contacts torn. Opticare saved my day and my business presentation on Arran. Thank you so much. Amazing customer service and professionalism. Highly recommend.
Great service, very helpful and friendly.
What a great service from both Largs and Saltcoats can not do enough for there patients always happy and cheerful thanks Laura for bring my lens down from Largs and Ann for running after me to tell me lol keep up the good work would not go anywhere else unless Lynn leaves and would need to follow her as she has been great with me and patient great wee team from both shop
Always happy to help. Very friendly staff. Great service from all.
Girls in shop couldn’t have been any nicer! Very professional and a good range of frames
Really helpful, I would highly recommend
I called for emergency appointment as I had a problem with my eye. I was seen the following day, the issue was dealt with, very professionally and with care. All the staff were very friendly and welcoming. I will definitely be using Opticare for my eye tests in the future. Thank you
Needed an urgent fix to specialist glasses and they did it immediately – great staff
I can’t recommend Opticare Thornliebank highly enough. Having tried unsuccessfully with varifocals from two other local opticians, I’d almost given up hope of finding a pair of glasses that would work for me. Thankfully, I gave it another go with Opticare and they were able to identify the problem which had eluded the other optometrists I had seen. Now, having been fitted with Varilux X lenses, I can honestly say they have been a revelation. For excellence in optometry, price, quality of product and customer care, look no further than Opticare Thornliebank
Welcoming and deliver as stated! I Recommend them for all who need optical care.
Very helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable staff
Knew there was something wrong with my eyes. The lady optometrist was very thourgh.So pleased to know what it is.
Always a great experience at this opticians. Been coming here since I was about 9. So 20 years and wouldn’t change to anywhere else. It’s a bit strange coming back after covid & so much has changed had always been the same receptionists etc and now it’s not. But the newer staff were equally as lovely.
Lovely friendly staff, very professional. Jackie who does the eye examination, is very professional and puts you at ease and explains what she is doing and brilliant with kids x
Excellent staff, very helpful in the decision process of lens choice, quick delivery and lenses were a perfect match