On the occasion of his participation in the Global Health Summit of Geneva, Hoya Vision Care asked for an intervention urgent to reduce the growing impact of myopia by making it one global priority for governments and public health bodies. The goal is to improve the quality of life of short-sighted children and of educate on preventative solutions.
For ensure early diagnosis, increase L’information And there awareness it is necessary act collectively on this issue towards short-sighted young people, the community and health systems. The data is alarming: it is estimated that by 2050 approximately 5 billion people could be affected by myopia. The annual progression rate of myopia And fastest under 10 years of age[1] and represents a growing global problem due to factors such as increased close-range activities, use of digital devices and reduced time spent outdoors[2]. Despite its impact, the level of knowledge and awareness on myopia it is Still very low between parents which do not take into account how much The risk of complications increases exponentially with increasing degree of myopia.
“There are fundamental differences between low and high myopia. Indeed, people with high myopia have a greater risk of developing complications such as macular degeneration, retinal detachment or even glaucoma, which can lead to irreversible blindness“, says Dr. Serge Resnikoff, President of the International Myopia Institute.
However, there is not yet a level of myopia within which one can be confident. In fact, although low myopia poses a modest risk, it can still be a threat to public health. In fact, 41.6% of cases of myopic macular degeneration (MMD) were found in people with low myopia[3].
Treating myopia in children early helps not only to correct their vision, but also to provide myopia management solutions in advance for slow down its progression, preserving eye health for the future. With the MiYOSMART prescription lensesHoya Vision Care strengthens its commitment to the global community by providing new solutions the result of continuous scientific progress.
MiYOSMART is a prescription lens based on revolutionary technology Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS). Its effectiveness has been confirmed by one two-year clinical study and validated by over 25 scientific publications worldwide.
MiYOSMART lenses
The use of lenses MiYOSMART reduced the progression of myopia by an average of 60% compared to standard single vision lenses. Furthermore, 1 child in 5 experienced no progression of myopia by age two years of use[4]. A six-year clinical follow-up further demonstrated that the myopia management effect was maintained in the long term, highlighting the benefits of using MiYOSMART lenses over time.[5].
“The time has come for our health systems to work together and take collective action on awareness and education. Our children deserve more: The impact of myopia on our children’s lives should not be overlooked, as it affects their education and quality of life“, said Alexandre Montague, CEO of Hoya Vision Care. “The success of MiYOSMART is only the first step. We call for intensified efforts to raise awareness, inform vision professionals, educate parents through vision professionals about the condition and the importance of diagnosing, monitoring and seeking timely treatment for their children.”
Says Maurizio Veroli, CEO of HOYA Italia: “In Italy we are working to increase awareness among the medical profession, opticians-optometrists and parents regarding the importance of early diagnosis and effective preventive solutions such as MiYOSMART lenses. Today we have an extra weapon to deal with myopia: talking about it is an ethical duty. It is a parents’ right to know the existence and effectiveness of this innovative solution.”
Every child deserves better treatment for their visual well-being. MiYOSMART is available in several countries around the world and over 2.5 million parents have already relied on this solution for their children[6].
[1] Holden BA, Fricke TR, Wilson DA, Jong M, Naidoo KS, Sankaridurg P, Wong TY, Naduvilath TJ, Resnikoff S, Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050, Ophthalmology, May 2016 Volume 123, Issue 5, Pages 1036?1042
[2] World Economic Forum. Global rates of short-sightedness are rising rapidly, study shows. Accessed April 2024. Myopia: What causes short-sightedness and why is it rising? | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
[3] Bullimore, MA, Brennan, NA Juvenile-onset myopia—who to treat and how to evaluate success. Eye 38, 450–454 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-023-02722-6
[4] Lam CSY, Tang WC, Tse DY, Lee RPK, Chun RKM, Hasegawa K, Qi H, Hatanaka T, To CH. Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) spectacle lenses slow myopia progression: a 2-year randomized clinical trial. British Journal of Ophthalmology. Published Online First: 29 May 2019. doi: 10.1136/ bjophthalmol-2018- 313739
[5] Lam CSY, Tang WC, Zhang HY, et al. Long-term myopia control effect and safety in children wearing DIMS spectacle lenses for 6 years. Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):5475. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32700-7
[6] Based on number of MiYOSMART spectacle lenses sold per. HOYA sales data on file as of August 2023
