Opportunities Abound for Proactive Myopia Care
With several myopia treatment options now available off-label that have demonstrated efficacy, optometrists have a professional responsibility to discuss myopia management options with all parents of children at risk for progressive myopia.
Focus On What We Know, Not What We Don’t Know
During discussions with optometric and ophthalmologic colleagues, I will occasionally hear, “There is not enough evidence for me to treat children who demonstrate progressive myopia.”
Myopia: The Nature-Nurture Debate
The debate on the role of ‘nature versus nurture’ in the aetiology of myopia has been ongoing for many decades but the exact role of genetic versus environmental components remains far from settled.
Myopia: The Time to Act is Now
Myopia is the most common ocular abnormality in the world, yet many patients and parents do not understand the significance of myopia and particularly high myopia to potential ocular health issues later in life.
The Myopia Management Market
It is becoming more and more imperative that eyecare providers take a more active role in the prevention of myopic progression. Just as sub-markets have developed in the U.S. health care industry (e.g., with orthodontics, an $11 billion market, and hearing aids, a $7 billion market), one should expect something similar with the myopia management market.
The Future is Looking Myopic
By Catherine Manthorp, Associate Editor Review of Optometry, January 2019
Myopia was previously thought to be a simple refractive condition correctable by glasses...
Why is Myopia Management Important?
With treatment options available that have demonstrated efficacy, ECPs have a professional responsibility to discuss myopia management options with all parents of children at risk for progressive myopia.
Lost Productivity Due To Myopia
Uncorrected myopia as well as high myopia resulting in complications such as myopic macular degeneration (MMD) can potentially result in lost productivity. Such lost productivity has significant economic impact, and an estimate of lost productivity due to myopia is vital for evidence based advocacy, policy making and patient care.
Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia is Expected to Rise in the Future
Given the already high prevalence of myopia in many parts of the world, estimates of the future prevalence of myopia is critical for understanding and deploying resources to tackle the burden.
Visual Impairment and Blindness from Myopic Macular Degeneration Predicted to Rise Significantly
Many people, especially parents, believe that myopia is an inconvenience that merely requires refractive correction with spectacles, contact lenses, or surgery. Unfortunately, they do not understand that myopia, and high myopia, in particular, increases the risk of serious, sight-threatening complications.
