A cure for childhood short-sightedness

The growing problem of short-sightedness in children

The number of children with vision problems is on the increase in the UK and as a result the vision correction industry is constantly battling to develop an effective cure for childhood short-sightedness.

Children's health has barely improved since 1999, despite a huge amount of central government investment, but children's vision problems are not limited to the British Isles, they are a global phenomena. Meanwhile, the number of people with short-sightedness in the western world has leapt by an astonishing 66 per cent over the past 30 years and the problem shows no signs of going away.

Partly due to dramatic change in lifestyles of western children, including a massive increase in computer use, myopia is quickly becoming an international emergency, a situation which has paved the way for the creation of Ortho K contact lenses, a major advance in myopia treatment.

What are the possible solutions?

Treating children's short-sightedness is understandably a major priority for the vision correction industry which is on the hunt for a safe, reliable and simple cure for childhood short-sightedness.

But the solution may be closer to hand than previously thought.

A new study being funded by EyeVis Eye and the Vision Research Institute is underway in the US which could prove that iGO's overnight vision correction contact lenses are an effective cure for childhood short-sightedness.

The Stabilising of Myopia by Accelerated Reshaping Technique (SMART) study aims to prove that overnight contact lenses can be used to arrest or even completely reverse children's vision problems.

The study, which is the largest of its kind ever conducted, hopes to shed light on the benefits of overnight children's contact lenses, such as those offered by iGO, and the effect they have on the development of young people's eyes as they grow. The initial results from the research programme, which is currently in its second year, are extremely positive and show that overnight contact lenses for children help slow eyesight degeneration over time.

Those wearing normal, soft contact lenses for children saw an overall rate of increase in their prescription over the two year period, whereas those sporting overnight vision correction contact lenses showed no clinically significant increase in their myopia.

Why iGO lenses offer the best treatment for children with myopia

Laser eye surgery is not a suitable cure for childhood short-sightedness. The minimum age is 21 as the eye must have stopped growing and the prescription needs to have been stable for at least a year before someone can be considered a suitable candidate.

Moreover, while regular, soft contact lenses for children offer a short-term solution to children's vision problems they have no permanent benefit. Like glasses they don't halt, or potentially reverse childhood myopia, something which iGO Ortho K contact lenses have been shown to do.

So iGO lenses, which offer immediate vision correction as well as a more permanent solution to the problem of short-sightedness in children, are the ideal solution.

What's more, as iGO lenses do away with the need for daily contact lenses or glasses, which often hamper children taking part in sports, particularly those that involve a lot of physical contact. A lack of participation in sport as a direct result of vision problems could easily stunt a child's development, both socially and physically.

Is your child suitable for iGO overnight contact lenses?

The answer to this question is almost certainly yes, iGO contact lenses are a suitable solution to your child's myopia problem. Those considering iGO contact lenses as opposed to standard children's contact lenses or glasses just need to fill out a short suitability questionnaire. The results will be emailed to you, and if suitable you can make an appointment  with a qualified iGO accredited vision correction professional.