Myopia or shortsightedness is a defect of the eye in which the produced image by the refracted collimated light focus right in front of the retina resulting into blurred vision.
Now, myopia in adolescents is generally “progressive” which means progressively greater nearsightedness over time. But here comes great news also. According to several research studies, continuous usage of GP contact lens can keep this myopia under control.
Do not expect GP lenses to fix myopia or even stop it. It can only slow down the growth in the adolescents.
The studies had showed that myopia in youths wearing GP lenses had grown at a very slow pace compared to those who used non-GP lenses. That’s why contact lens practitioners like to recommend GP lenses for children.
A very recent independent survey for the Contact Lens Manufacturers Association enquired off around 3500 top eye doctors about management of myopia with the help of GP contact lens. Of those surveyed:
• 99% confirmed that GP lenses drastically reduce the progression of myopia in children and the rest of 1% is also almost sure about it.
• 100% say that they always recommend GP lenses to school going children to minimize the progression of myopia and to enjoy a better vision.
But take these results with a pinch of salt only. Though thousands of studies had been taken place on this very topic and in most of the cases the result is affirmative but not all results had showed the green signal.
Jeffrey J. Walline, OD, PhD of The Ohio State University led a study over a three year period between two groups of children – one wearing GP lenses and soft lenses were worn by others. The less of increase in myopia was only 40% in GP wearing group than the soft lens users. One more interesting found from that study is that eye growth, one of the reason behind myopia, was not at all slowed down by the continuous usage of conventional GP wear.
However, studies by this same Walline and other renowned researchers at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University have found exactly opposite – that progress of myopia is drastically reduced and even eye growth was also slowed if orthokeratology lenses are worn at night only.
Therefore, the scenario is quite clear now. Bausch & Lomb contact lenses, Johnson & Johnson contact lenses, CooperVision contact lenses are some of the top-of-the-line brands for GP lenses. Take your pick but only after consulting with your eye doctor. After all, this is for your eyes only.