HOYA Vision Care is introducing an extended power range for its MiYOSMART spectacle lenses, designed for pediatric wear to treat high myopia.
First, why target high myopia?
The real question would be: Why wouldn’t you want to target high myopia?
With the severest form of myopia (defined as -6.0 diopter [D] or worse in their right eye) impacting nearly 2.9% of the global population in 2010, estimates have put the prevalence of the disease affecting 9.8% (equating to 938 million people) of the global population by 2050.
And on the management front: Research has shown that slowing myopia by 1 D could potentially reduce the likelihood of a patient developing myopic maculopathy by 40%.
- Thus, efforts to mitigate the increasing prevalence of this disease are crucial—particularly among the pediatric population.
Let’s get a rundown on these lenses.
Before we do: You’ll need to know about HOYA’s patented technology that serves as the foundation for MiYOSMART: Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS).
What it is: A noninvasive technology that enables the MiYOSMART lenses, which launched in 2018, to correct myopia refractive error and provide clear vision.
- How it does this: By using a honeycomb-shaped segment treatment area (the “defocus zone”) to slow myopia progression (ensuring clear vision) and a clear zone (the “focus zone”) with a patient’s prescription (to manage the disease).
And how are the frames designed?
With a lens fitting similarly to conventional single-vision (SV) lenses, the MiYOSMART glasses include a highly impact-resistant, thin, and lightweight material with:
- Ultraviolet (UV) protection
- Optical clarity
- Anti-reflective coating (to minimize lens scratches)
- Water-repellant property (to prevent water stains)
Go on …
In (relatively) recent news: The MiYOSMART sun range photochromic and polarized spectacle lenses welcomed two new additions back in May 2023: The Chameleon and the Sunbird.
- Each incorporates the signature DIMS tech as well as offers significant sunlight protection, myopia refractive error management, and decreased symptoms of photophobia.
- Learn more about them here.
And what kind of clinical data is available on MiYOSMART?
A pretty wide range of supporting research based on studies conducted over the last few years has deemed the DIMS spectacle lenses to be effective in slowing myopia progression.
- Findings released in September 2024 from an 8-year follow-up study on the DIMS lenses compared to SV lens wearers among patients aged 15 to 21.
- Research published in 2023 detailed a 6-year study favoring DIMS lens use for myopia control among patients aged 8 to 13—with no adverse effects.
Nice! So, are these available in the United States?
Alas, they’re not.
While MiYOSMART lenses are available in 40+ countries (including the United Kingdom), they have yet to be FDA-approved and have “not been approved for use in the management of myopia in all countries,” according to HOYA.
Any idea when they might be?
An excellent question—and one we’ve asked HOYA.
At the time of publication, the company had not yet responded to our request for comment.
But rest assured: We’ll update you once they do.
Alrighty, now let’s talk about this new power range.
The extended range accommodates both high myopia and astigmatism, according to HOYA, with “a wider span of prescriptions up to a highest minus power of –13.00 D and cylindrical power up to 4.00 D.”
- As a byproduct of this: The MiYOSMART lenses are now available in larger lens diameters and with optimized lens edge thickness.
And what does this mean for pediatric wearers?
Thanks to this increased lens diameter, the lenses can be fitted into larger frames—allowing older pediatric patients (including teenagers) with larger pupillary distances to wear them, as well as those wishing for larger frames for aesthetic reasons.
And circling back to that lens edge thickness: HOYA noted that flatter base curves “address common concern relating to the appearance of conventional thick high prescription lenses.”