Refractive Error, Myopia Control and Contact Lenses

Refractive error is the leading cause of visual impairment globally: 153 million people suffer from visual impairment due to uncorrected refractive errors. The impact affects individuals’ quality of life, limiting educational and employment opportunities leading to economic losses estimated at $202 billion annually due to lost productivity. The myopia ‘epidemic’ in children is progressive and currently the subject of many studies, which are reviewed later. The increase in myopia is thought to be due to children spending more time in front of screens and less time outdoors with other factors considered as well. Work is ongoing towards changes in lifestyle as well as use of specialist spectacles and contact lenses to reduce peripheral defocus. Contact lenses are an alternative to spectacles, but in some cases, they are essential for improvement in vision beyond the ability of a spectacle lens. Complex or medical contact lens fittings improve patients’ lives and give them the ability to function in everyday life. However, as well as fitting lenses, maintenance and ongoing ocular health assessments are required to ensure safe wear of these medical devices.