Myopia Control Lenses - The New Hope to Slow Down Nearsightedness

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Myopia or nearsightedness has become a major health issue globally affecting billions of people worldwide. It occurs when the eyes grow faster than normal or the cornea becomes steeper which results in light focusing in front of the retina instead of directly on it. This causes distant objects to appear blurry while near objects can be seen clearly.

For many years, glasses and contact lenses were the only options available to correct vision. However, recent advancements in ophthalmology have led to the emergence of myopia control lenses which are specially designed to slow the progression of myopia especially in children. Myopia Control Lenses Market by Coherent Market Insights take a deeper look at these revolutionary lenses and the market potential they hold.

Causes and Risk Factors of Myopia

There are multiple causes associated with the onset and progression of myopia in children. Genetics plays a major role as children with myopic parents are at higher risk. Other intrinsic risk factors include ethnicity, sex and near work activities like excessive screen time, close working distances and less time spent outdoors. Environmental factors like lack of time spent outdoors especially in daylight hours are also linked to increased myopia rates. Studies show children who spend more time outdoors have a lower risk of becoming nearsighted as daylight exposure helps control eye growth.

Types of Myopia Control Lenses

Orthokeratology Lenses

Orthokeratology or OK lenses are gas permeable contact lenses specially designed to temporarily alter the shape of the cornea overnight through a procedure called corneal reshaping. When worn overnight, these rigid lenses flatten the central cornea to temporarily correct near- and far-sightedness during waking hours without glasses or contacts. Multiple studies have shown OK lenses can significantly slow the progression of myopia in children by around 50-60% compared to single vision lenses.

Bifocal and Progressive Addition Lenses

These lenses have different optical powers in different areas of the lens allowing for both clear distance and near vision from a single pair of glasses. The central portion is designed for distance correction while the lower portion adds optical power for near correction. By distributing retinal defocus across a larger retinal area, these lenses help control eyeball elongation and myopia progression. Clinical trials show a 20-30% reduction in myopia progression with these lenses compared to single vision lenses.

Multi-focal Contact Lenses

Similar to bifocal glasses, these soft multifocal contact lenses have different optical zones to provide simultaneous distance and near focus but correct vision in all directions of gaze. By altering the dioptric profile across the lens, these contacts reduce peripheral hyperopic defocus and effectively slow eye growth rates. Studies found these contacts slowed myopia progression by 30-50% versus single vision contacts.

Regulations and Clinical Evidence

Major eye regulatory bodies like the FDA have approved some myopia control lenses as medical devices meant to slow myopia progression based on robust multi-center clinical trials. Large studies show these specially designed lenses slow axial elongation rates by around 30-60% compared to single vision lenses in children. The effect remains as long as the myopia control lenses are worn consistently. Long term follow up analysis also confirms the deceleration in myopia progression is maintained even after discontinuing use.

Impact on Quality of Life

Slowing the progression of myopia could have a significantly positive impact on quality of life. Children may retain better unaided distance vision for longer and require weaker prescription updates less frequently. This would reduce dependency on glasses and contacts as often. Delaying high myopia levels also decreases the risk of developing serious vision threatening complications like retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataracts and myopic maculopathy, especially in adulthood. Myopia control could ultimately reduce burden and costs associated with frequent eye exams, stronger prescriptions and vision corrections surgeries later in life.

Advantages Over Other Modalities

While orthokeratology, multifocal soft contacts and progressive addition lenses have been proven effective for myopia control, orthokeratology provides additional benefits. Unlike wearing glasses all day, overnight OK lens therapy allows normal daytime activity without vision corrections and is cosmetically more acceptable for active children. There is no limitation of field of vision as with multifocal contacts. OK lenses can also be customized based on prescription needs while providing peripheral optical treatment as compared to progressive addition lenses affecting only central vision.

Market Outlook

The global myopia control lenses market is witnessing steady growth and is expected to grow substantially in the coming years. Asia Pacific currently dominates the market owing to higher prevalence rates in countries like China, Japan and South Korea. Increasing awareness regarding complications of high myopia and benefits of control, growing middle class population and rising healthcare investments are factors driving market growth. The market is further expected to expand in western countries as standard myopia management becomes more common clinical practice globally. For more details on market revenue projections, key players and regional analysis, refer to the recent myopia control lenses market report published on Coherent Market Insights.

Myopia control lenses have emerged as an effective non-invasive option to slow myopia progression in children, especially when worn consistently from a young age. As clear evidence demonstrates their ability to reduce axial elongation rates significantly compared to single vision corrections, adoption of these specially designed lenses as the standard of care holds promise for delaying high myopia levels. Widespread usage could potentially reduce lifelong dependency on stronger prescriptions and lower risks of vision threatening diseases later in adulthood. With growing disease burden and increasing awareness, the global market for myopia control lenses is projected to witness steady growth in the coming years.