Did you know that from an eye test, we can detect diabetes, high blood pressure or a neurological condition you may not know you had?
An eye test not only does what it says on the tin, checks your eye health and vision, but it is a comprehensive health examination, as from the back of the eyes as well as on the front surface of the eye in microscopic detail, we can see signs of many systemic conditions that you may have.
Calling all parents!………
If your child wears glasses, or you have been told they are short-sighted (myopic), you need to know this!
At Eyes On Broadway, we are happy to share that we are accredited to dispense the world’s first Myopia Management spectacle lenses for children.
What does this mean? I hear you ask.
Myopia is a condition whereby your vision may be good up close, but not so good in the distance. This generally means you get prescribed glasses with a minus (-) prescription to correct your vision at a far distance.
Research shows that myopia is both hereditary and acquired due to lifestyle factors such as too much close work (yes parents, being on the Xbox for too long does affect the eyes, you are right!). As Opticians, we are highly trained in prescribing just the right amount of prescription and no more than required, and we do many tests to make sure the prescription given is correct. So don’t worry, even if you think your child might be lying in an eye test to get glasses, we usually catch them out easily!
However, prescribing glasses is one thing, actually managing the condition is another, and there are a few ways in which we can manage myopia progression.
At Eyes On Broadway, our Opticians are highly qualified in the techniques used to slow down the progression of myopia in children. This means that if your child wears glasses with a prescription of (-1D), the next year, if managed, the prescription may stay the same or be (-1.25) instead of progressing further naturally if unmanaged to (-2D).* On and on this unmanaged cycle goes until they reach adulthood with potentially a very high prescription!
*these numbers are purely for example purposes
Here are ways in which we can manage myopia at Eyes On Broadway:
- Ortho-K (a hard contact lens which you sleep in, once taken off in the morning, no correction in the form of spectacles or contact lenses are required! By gently reshaping the front of the eye, the prescription is effectively reversed.
- Misight soft contact lenses. Instead of wearing normal contact lenses just to correct the prescription, we can use Misight soft contact lenses to actually slow down the rate at which myopia progresses. Two birds in one stone we say!
- Miyosmart spectacle lenses – if contact lenses sound a bit too intrusive of a method for you and your child, let’s talk about Miyosmart. The world’s first spectacle lenses designed to manage myopia progression.
The Miyosmart option is an exciting new development in our industry, and we are passionate about sharing why it is important to manage myopia rather than just correcting it by traditional methods.
Here are a few facts about myopia:
- In 2050, half the world’s population will be myopic
- Slowing myopia progression by 1 dioptre reduces the risk of developing myopic maculopathy by 40%
- If you are myopic you are at higher risk of a retinal detachment
Want to know more?
Join our FREE webinar on Thursday 27th May at 7.30pm on Zoom.
*search Myopia Management for generation Alpha on Eventbrite
*follow us on Facebook @eyesonbroadwayN10
*follow us on Instagram @eyesonbroadway_n10
Where you can find links to book your place.
What are you waiting for!
Written by
Sifa Modina
Dispensing Optician @ Eyes On Broadway Optometry
Muswell Hill
opticians@eyesonbroadway.co.uk
0208 883 2183
343 Muswell Hill Broadway
London
N10 1BX