Myopia-control contact lenses and spectacles

Plain language summary

Myopia, also known as short-sightedness, is a vision condition in which people can see close objects clearly, but objects further away appear blurred. Short-sightedness happens because certain parts of the eye are too powerful or the eyeball is longer than normal. It is not clear why short-sightedness happens, but it can run in families. Short-sightedness usually starts in children from ages six years old and can continue to get worse until a person is in their twenties. The blurred vision caused by short-sightedness may mean that a person’s abilities to read and write are affected. In addition, short-sightedness may increase the risk of conditions that threaten sight in later life.

Currently, in Wales, children with short-sightedness are prescribed single-vision spectacles or contact lenses to correct their vision. However, these spectacles and contact lenses are not designed to slow the progression of short-sightedness. Special types of spectacles and contact lenses can slow the growth of the eye, thereby slowing down the progression of short-sightedness. These are called myopia-control spectacles and contact lenses, and they are usually more expensive than single-vision spectacles and contact lenses.

Health Technology Wales looked for evidence on the clinical and cost effectiveness of myopia-control spectacles and contact lenses to slow the progression of short-sightedness in children and adolescents. The evidence supports the routine adoption of two types of lenses, orthokeratology and multifocal soft contact lenses, to slow the progression of short-sightedness in children and adolescents.