What are Myopia Control Lenses? Who makes them and Which works best?

5 things to know about Myopia

1. An estimated 5 billion people, or half the global population, could be affected by myopia by 2050
2. Research shows that more time spent doing near work increases the likelihood of myopia
3. In Asia almost 90% of young people develop myopia before the age of 20
4. Studies show that high myopia may lead to severe vision impairment that can no longer be corrected through standard lenses
5. Myopia progresses because of the increase in the length of the eyeball. Thus myopia progression is measured by 

What is myopia Control?

Myopia control is important because of the risks associated with increasing myopia. Here are 5 things one can do

1. Reduce near-work
2. Increase outdoor work
3. Use low-dose atropine
4. Use myopia control lenses
5. Orthokeratology

Why is myopia control important

High myopia can lead to the following eye conditions

1. Retinal detachment
2. Glaucoma
3. Myopia maculopathy

Myopia can also affect your child's life

1. Sporting ability
2. Academic performance
3. Self-confidence

What are myopia-control glass lenses?

These are lenses which are fit into regular glasses and reduce the risk of myopia progression. They are a relatively new technology and long-term studies are awaited. But we do know that these lenses are completely harmless and with our experience with about 76 patients we feel that myopia progression does slow down or almost stop. Many of our patients are on combination therapy and along with these lenses are also using low-dose atropine.

How do they work?

There are 2 technologies 

1. DIMS - Defocus incorporated multiple segments
2. HAL - Highly Aspherical Lenslet Target

What are DIMS and H.A.L.T. technology?

1. Both DIMS and H.A.L.T. technology spectacle lenses are a step beyond the traditional spectacle to behave more like myopia-controlling lenses.
2. Think of DIMS and H.A.L.T. technology as like a single vision lens for myopia correction, with an overlaying 'treatment zone' for myopia control.
3. Each has a clear single-vision distance zone in the centre of the lens that corrects the child's myopia. 
4. Each has a surrounding zone of lens lets to create a differential myopic defocus across the retina i.e. the rays of light are bent in different ways as compared to normal spectacle lenses which reduce the stimulus going to the brain for myopia progression. 
5. Each should fit like a single vision lens, with careful attention paid to measuring the fitting height and the centration of the lens to ensure the child makes the most of the clear central zone for the best acuity.
6. Due to this design, their myopia control efficacy results are seeming to exceed any of the previous spectacle lens solutions, and equal that of dual-focus soft and orthokeratology contact lenses.

How do they compare for efficacy?

Both of these spectacle lens designs for myopia control have been shown to slow down myopia progression by about half - about 50%.

The Essilor Stellest and Hoya MiYOSMART spectacle lenses have been studied in children aged 8-13 years at the start of treatment, with evidence from two-year clinical trials. Both studies are now reporting 3-year data, indicating that these lenses can be presumed safe and effective in kids aged 8 to 16 years.

The SightGlass DOT lens has been studied in children aged 6 -10 years at the start of treatment. As the newest option, data has only been reported for one year so far. 

Special myopia control spectacle lens designs have been shown to slow down myopia progression by about half (about 50%) in their scientific studies. Learn more about this in Understanding expectations in myopia control.

Who makes myopia-control glass lenses?

Currently, the top 3 companies that make these are

1. Hoya - Japanese
2. Essilor - French
3. Carl Zeiss - German
4. Cooper Vision - British ( Not yet available at Eye Solutions )

What is the cost of these myopia-control glass lenses?

Both Hoya - MiYOSMART and Essilor - Stellest lenses are available for Rs 15000 for each pair of lenses. 

Carl Zeiss has a differential pricing based on eye power and ranges from Rs 5500 for a pair of lenses to Rs 16000.

Pro Tip: Hoya offers you a 6-month guarantee, which means that if the power increases by 0.75 in the first 6 months after getting the glasses then the company would give you new lenses for free.

Myopia-control Lenses at Eye Solutions

Hoya, Essilor and Zeiss lenses are available at Eye Solutions. Out of the three, we don't really know which is the best because only long-term studies will reveal that answer. However, irrespective of the lens worn we have seen that myopia progression halts or slows down when these glasses are worn.