Certified ECP training courses part of shared global mission to address myopia in children
BANGKOK – 07 July 2021 – HOYA Vision Care, a leader in optical technology innovation and Myopia Profile, leading international myopia educational company, today announced the roll out of a suite of co-created certified training courses to educate, inform and empower Eye Care Professionals (ECPs) to prescribe spectacle lenses for children in the global fight to address and manage myopia. The bespoke program developed together includes certified courses on general knowledge about myopia, the myopia management landscape and training on the MiYOSMART spectacle lens. The content is housed on HOYA’s global training platform available in more than 20 countries.
Myopia or near sightedness is a growing global health concern with industry experts predicting nearly 50% of the world’s population to be impacted by 20501. “The strategic partnership with Myopia Profile aligns with one of HOYA Vision Care’s core missions to provide information and innovative solutions to our valued ECP’s who are on the front lines as we globally address the exponentially growing problem of myopia in children,” said Randy Richardson, VP global training and education at HOYA Vision Care. “Understanding and managing myopia in children is critical not only to everyone in our industry but to the current and future generations as eye health and clear vision are imperative to productive societies.”
HOYA Vision Care has been a leader in myopia management in children launching the MiYOSMART spectacle lens in 2018 developed in cooperation with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The easy to prescribe lens uses the revolutionary Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (D.I.M.S.) Technology that provides children with clear vision and is proven to slow down, and in some cases halt, myopia progression for children ages 8-132.
Results of a recent three-year follow-up study, conducted by the Centre for Myopia Research at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and published in March 2021 in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, showed that slowing down the progression of myopia over time was sustained in the group of children wearing MiYOSMART spectacle lens with D.I.M.S. Technology3.
Dr. Paul Gifford and Dr. Kate Gifford, founders of Myopia Profile, said “we are pleased to have collaborated with HOYA Vision Care in their project to bring comprehensive educational support to ECP’s engaging in myopia management and prescribing the groundbreaking MiYOSMART spectacle lens. Evidence-based, responsible clinical communication and prescribing for myopic children are of utmost importance. Myopia Profile’s work in laying the foundation on myopia consequences, interventions and clinical approaches sits alongside HOYA Vision Care’s training on MiYOSMART to provide a thorough base for ECP’s seeking to make a difference in the progression of childhood myopia across the world.”
PRODUCT DISCLAIMER – MiYOSMART has not been approved for myopia management in all countries, including the U.S., and is not currently available for sale in all countries, including the U.S.
1 Holden B. A. et al. Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology. 2016 May;123(5):1036-1042
2Lam CSY, Tang WC, Tse DY, Lee RPK, Chun RKM, Hasegawa K, Qi H, Hatanaka T, To CH. Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) spectacle lenses slow myopia progression: a 2-year randomized clinical trial. British Journal of Ophthalmology. Published Online First: 29 May 2019. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2018-313739
3 Lam CS, Tang WC, Lee PH, et al. Myopia control effect of defocus incorporated multiple segments (DIMS) spectacle lens in Chinese children: results of a 3-year follow-up study. British Journal of Ophthalmology Published Online First: 17 March 2021. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-317664
Myopia Profile based in Queensland, Australia, is the world’s largest and most popular multi-platform digital suite for myopia management. Founded in 2016 by optometrist husband-and-wife Dr. Paul Gifford, PhD, and Dr. Kate Gifford, PhD, Myopia Profile has grown from sharing Kate’s self-developed clinical paper-based tools to a comprehensive website, online learning academy, professional Facebook group and additional social media profiles, with over three million active engagements per year across the platforms. Myopia Profile’s public awareness arm, MyKidsVision.org, includes a website, short survey on myopia risk factors, How-To video guides, and social media platforms for parents to learn about childhood myopia and how they can seek the best options for their children.
For over 60 years, HOYA Vision Care has been a passionate and global leader in optical technology innovation. As a manufacturer of high quality, high performing eyeglass lenses, HOYA continues to drive optical technology innovation with the aim of finding the best vision care solutions for Eye Care Professionals. The company supplies lenses in 52 countries with a network of over 18,000 employees and 45 laboratories around the globe.
(not for publication)