BHVI

Myopia (short or near-sightedness) is an eye condition where distant objects cannot be seen clearly and is usually corrected with spectacles or contact lenses. It affects many school-aged children and is fast becoming a major public health issue of our time. It is estimated that the current number of 1.45 billion people with the condition will grow to a staggering 2.5 billion by 2020.

The onset of myopia at an early age brings with it the likelihood of life-long eye care, as well as affecting education and learning when left undetected. Myopia also doubles the risk of serious ocular health problems such as glaucoma, retinal trauma, malfunction and detachment, which can lead to vision loss and blindness.

The Myopia Control project is a major undertaking for the Institute. It is working to develop ways of controlling the condition and is currently undertaking clinical trials with the assistance of adult and child participants, which is raising hopes that the progression of myopia can be slowed and the impact of the condition greatly reduced.

Investigators

Project Leader
Dr Padmaja Sankaridurg

Dr Percy Lazon de la Jara
Mr Les Donovan
Prof Brien Holden
Prof Arthur Ho
Dr Klaus Ehrmann

Collaborators

The Myopia Control project involves collaborations through the Vision CRC with:

Professor Earl Smith III, College of Optometry, University of Houston, USA
Dr Peter Allen, Anglia Ruskin University, UK
Professor Paul  Mitchell, Westmead Millennium Institute at the University of Sydney, Australia
Professor Jiang Ge, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Centre at Guangzhou, China
Mr Thomas Aller OD, California, USA

Facilities

For its Myopia Control studies, the Institute utilises its own clinical trails facilities - the International Clinical Trials Centre, Sydney - and the International Clinical Research Centre at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Centre, China.

About Myopia

The myopic eye is longer than the non-myopic eye. This means that light focuses in front of the back of the eye (the retina) rather than on it, causing blurred vision.

• The image can be refocused on the retina by spectacles or contact lenses.
• Myopia usually begins in childhood at school age (six years and onwards) and can worsen until early adult years. This is referred to as youth-onset or juvenile-onset myopia. It can also occur in adults (ages 20 to 40) with no prior history of problems in childhood, termed early adult-onset myopia. One can also be born with high levels of myopia (congenital myopia).
• Myopia affects 1 in 5 people in Australia, 1 in 3 in America and 1 in 2 in some Asian countries. It affects a quarter of the world’s population (1.45 billion people).
• Myopia is a rapidly increasing epidemic. By 2020, it is estimated that the number of people with myopia will grow to one third of the world’s population (2.5 billion).

The causes of myopia are both genetic and environmental. Increased urbanisation and close-range activities e.g. reading and computer work, are increasing the incidence of myopia. In Australia, the prevalence of myopia in children whose parents both have myopia is 30 to 40%. In children who have one parent with myopia is 20 to 25%. In children with no parent with myopia the rate is less than 10%.

Myopia doubles the risk of serious eye problems such as glaucoma or retinal detachment, which can cause permanent vision loss.

Research by the Institute in the area of myopia includes:

• The Myopia Control programme, which aims to develop strategies to slow or prevent the development of myopia.
• The next generation of contact lenses, offering improved comfort and biocompatibility.
• Anti-bacterial contact lenses, to prevent the attachment or growth of bacteria on the lens surface.