OPTICAL PRISM | COVER STORY
What we should make sure of is that these new near-vision habits do not become the new norm .”
The study by CooperVision Canada and Maru / Blue involved 509 Canadian parents with children under age 14 at home . It was completed in May .
According to the survey , about 59 per cent of the Canadian parents reported their children were spending more time doing activities that require near-vision compared to before the pandemic .
About a quarter of those parents said the extra time exceeded five hours a day , while almost half said their kids would spend an extra three to four hours on a nearsighted activity .
The study also found that about 42 per cent of children spent less time outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic than before the health emergency took hold in March 2020 .
The Canadian Association of Optometrists says myopia , which affects about 30 per cent of Canada ’ s population , is a significant public health issue that can cause numerous long-term problems , from glaucoma and early cataracts to retinal detachments and myopic degeneration .
The global prevalence of myopia is expected to climb from 27 per cent in 2010 to 50 per cent by 2050 .
The CAO said the prevalence of myopia in Canada is not only increasing , but is occurring at earlier ages and progressing at rates faster than seen in previous generations .
And that was in the advent of COVID-19 lockdowns , stay-at-home orders and remote learning .
Although all signs point to myopia cases continuing to rise , the good news is that many organizations , including the World Council of Optometry , along with optical companies and eye care professionals are now more focused than ever on educating people about and finding ways to address the myopia epidemic .
Several companies have launched new , innovative products aimed at slowing the progression of the vision condition in children .
HOYA Another leader in myopia treatment is HOYA with its MiYOSMART lenses launched last year .
“ The incidence of myopia is expected to increase significantly as lifestyles change ,” explains James Slipper from HOYA marketing . “ If left untreated , myopia can lead to lasting vision problems .” s
A new study out this year showed that the MiyoSmart lens reduced myopia progression by 60 per cent compared to children wearing traditional single-vision glasses .
A BRILLIANT FUTURE
CooperVision launched in Canada late last year its Brilliant Futures Myopia Management Program .
The program features CooperVision ’ s MiSight 1 day daily disposable contact lenses , the first soft contact lens clinically proven to slow the progression of myopia in age-appropriate children .
It also includes ongoing education and support via a MiSightPro resource portal , support from a dedicated Myopia
Management Specialist to answer any questions and product shipping , including directly to patients ’ homes .
CooperVision ’ s landmark clinical study has revealed that nearly one in four children ’ s eyes originally fit with MiSight 1 day remained stable in their myopia level after six years . The study previously established the lens to be effective in slowing myopia progression in age-appropriate children by an average of 59 per cent over a three-year period , as measured by spherical refraction .
MiSight 1 day won a 2020 Popular Science “ Best of What ’ s New Award ” in the health category late last year .
CooperVision is at the forefront of tackling myopia progression , sponsoring an American Academy of Ophthalmology initiative to protect children from the consequences of high myopia and supporting myopia-focused programs from the Global Myopia Awareness Coalition and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness . OP
36 OPTICAL PRISM | September 2021