Parents will do anything for their children. That generally goes without saying. So when it comes to progressive myopia and its inherent risks to long-term sight health, most parents would try anything that claims to reverse it.
So far, all the peer-reviewed evidence-based therapies show that they can slow the progression of myopia but not halt it. No clinical studies, so far, have shown any reversal in myopia (in other words, a shortening of the eye length). As far as myopia scientists are aware, the axial length of the eye usually stops growing in the late twenties. No evidence so far shows anything that actively reduces the eye's axial length.
Many spurious claims on the internet suggest success in halting or reversing myopia from things as unlikely as eye exercises!
Sometimes, however, we become aware of a new claim or product that makes us take more notice than usual. Such is the case with a Japanese company, Kubota Glass TM Technology. Recently, there have been exciting reports that Kubota has produced a wearable device which claims to not slow but reverses myopia. Now, this might make many of you grab your wallets and find the nearest vendor. But, be warned, so far, there is almost no data on this, and no clinical, peer-reviewed studies have been published. Of course, we hope that clinical data is published and that peer-reviewed studies do occur and confirm the claims. For now, at least, such claims must be taken ‘with a pinch of salt'.
This approach should be taken with any unverified and untested potential myopia therapies.
My advice is to look at the evidence. If there is little or no evidence base, don’t believe it. If the device is only a year or two old and the data on its effectiveness is minimal or not published, ignore it.
The currently accepted therapies for slowing myopia are:
Myopic defocus soft contact lenses – day lenses
Myopia defocus spectacle lenses
Hard ‘night lenses’ – gas permeable Ortho-K lenses worn during sleep
Low dose Atropine eye drops (0.01% or 0.025%)
A combination of two or more of the above
Increased outdoor time and reduced near work of all kinds have also been shown to be vital in helping to slow myopia progression.
These therapies have all undergone many years of rigorous scientific study, with multiple peer-reviewed publications.
In other words, they are proven to be effective. Whilst they have varying degrees of success and don’t always work for everyone, the science is real, and it’s honest.
So, if you’re looking to start your child on myopia therapies, remember that unless it’s evidence-based, you should steer clear, at least for now.
Hopefully, the device that Kubota has developed will do what they claim it does. If there is a chance that a device that is only worn occasionally and truly effectively and actively reduces the axial length, or at least halts its growth, then that would be an enormous and world-changing breakthrough. The long-term risk of sight loss for millions or even billions of people could be dramatically reduced.
However, until the evidence has been tested through numerous studies over many years with vast numbers of subjects from multiple countries and age groups, we have to accept that there is currently no reason to try an untested therapy.
If you are a parent who wants to learn more about myopia and the various management strategies that are out there, check out Myopia Focus.
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