Myopia Guide: My-Nor lensfile

In recent years there has been a growing call in the industry for eye care professionals to address the problem of myopia. According to the International Myopia Institute, we can expect to see the prevalence of myopia to have reached 50% of the global population by 2050¹. This has significant implications due to the increased risk of pathology leading to visual impairment, negative impact on education and quality of life, not to mention the effect this will have on economic impact, with an estimated $250bn loss in productivity due to myopia in 20151.

Most children are born hyperopic before undergoing the process of emmetropisation which usually stabilises around the age of six. Traditionally, children were thought to become or remain myopic because of genetics based on the increased incidence of myopia in those with myopic parents and data from certain ethnic groups. This view changed following numerous studies which demonstrate that the eye’s growth is homeostatic in nature² (i.e., it adjusts to the conditions, with visual input being the primary driver of growth).