A clinical study has demonstrated that Shamir’s new myopia control lens – Optimee – can control the progression of myopia and ensure long-term vision retention in children as they progress to adulthood.1
According to Shamir, the lenses not only correct vision and myopia, but also support natural posture and help children feel more comfortable, natural and confident when wearing glasses, improving their overall well-being.
A clinical study has demonstrated that Shamir’s new myopia control lens – Optimee – can control the progression of myopia and ensure long-term vision retention
Optimee is the first development project of Shamir’s ‘Kids’ product portfolio following “a holistic look at children to understand their needs and experiences”.
In approaching the project, Shamir stated that its goal was to find out how children perceive and feel about wearing glasses in different areas of their lives: when learning, playing, or using digital devices, an important factor in today’s digital age. The Shamir team worked with experts from the field to perform in-depth analysis of the extensive research relating to the psychological and ergonomic aspects of child development, vision correction, and myopia management.
Information gathered included the views of American clinical psychologist Monica Shahbaznia Alvarez, PhD, who specialises in family and child psychology, as well as paediatric psychology.
“When developing lenses for myopic children and adolescents, one must be careful firstly, to grapple with the emotional challenges children face and understand the impact on their self-image and self-esteem in relation to the sense of normality and belonging in their lives,” Dr Alvarez said.
“Children who wear glasses with regular myopia management lenses may have lower self-confidence, which in turn can affect their participation in social groups and sports. These glasses can also affect their physical well-being and appearance, especially if they have thick edges and distort the child’s face, which can be a trigger for teasing or bullying.”
Orit Shenkar, PhD, OT, an occupational therapist and ergonomics expert from Israel, observed, “There is more to seeing than just our eyes. Children tend to develop a variety of head and eye tilt combinations for different close-up tasks, and many studies demonstrate the detrimental effects of habitual severe neck flexion and repetitive postural habits. Poor posture habits can severely impact a child’s attention level and performance, which has far-reaching effects on the musculoskeletal system and other aspects of overall health. Since children’s bones and muscles are still developing, habitual posture is important for their future healthy development.”
A Holistic Approach
Based on these insights and research, Shamir developed a holistic approach that corrects myopia, slows axial length progression, while also providing aesthetic, ergonomic and safety benefits so children can fully and happily pursue all their regular activities.
Shamir Optimee integrates the next generation Shamir Focusflow defocus technology, which creates a clear central vertical zone with the child’s prescription. This area, called the central vertical canal, allows for flexible eye movement so that children can concentrate on activities at close range and at all distances without excessively flexing their necks. This unique non-concentric lens design results in significantly thinner edges than traditional myopia lenses.
This dramatically reduces the ‘cut-in’ effect – the distorted facial contour that occurs with traditional myopia single vision lenses when looking at the child or a selfie.
Shamir Optimee is made using FreeForm technology and is completely transparent. Together, these innovations enable children to look and feel more natural. Lenses are also made with Shamir Metaform, making them up to 18 times stronger than the standard requirements specified by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA),2 so children can safely wear their glasses, even when playing around outdoors.
Proven Effectiveness
A clinical trial is currently underway in Israel, led by Professor Yair Morad, comparing the progression of myopia and axial elongation with Shamir Optimee compared to regular single vision lenses in 126 children aged six to13 years.
The key first year result shows that axial lengthening was slowed by an average of 43% in children under 10 years old.
Along with RX progression, axis lengthening is the most objective measure of myopia progression. The same study showed that one in three toddlers experienced natural eye growth as if they were non-myopic. When both parents were myopic, RX progression was on average 45% slower.
In terms of compliance, the children wore the Shamir Optimee glasses for an average of 14 hours per day, the same as with the single vision lenses. This shows that they felt comfortable wearing Shamir Optimee. These study results were published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology.1
Shamir Optimee lenses are specifically designed for children and are adjusted according to the regulations of the respective country on the recommendation of an eye care professional. They are available in a variety of indexes between 1.50 and 1.74, Rx range +0.5[D] to -10[D]. They are available in a clear version or with transitions (green or grey).
Quality of LIfe
“The holistic approach behind Shamir Optimee is primarily aimed at sustainably improving the quality of life of children. We not only look at the need for vision correction, but also look through users’ eyes at how they experience their daily activities. We also conduct extensive research and then apply the most advanced technologies to offer high-performance lenses for a variety of needs. In the case of these new lenses for children, we also considered the needs and concerns of parents,” said Yagen Moshe, Chief Executive Officer of Shamir.
“The launch of Shamir Optimee is an exciting step for Shamir. It continues our long-standing commitment to developing innovative lenses and establishes a new category of children’s lenses where we focus on protecting children’s vision and well-being to ensure their safety, comfort, confidence, and sharp vision to support – now and in the future”.
Shamir Optimee lens for myopia control is expected to be available in early 2024.
References
1. Yuval C., Otzem C., Yair M., Evaluating the effect of a myopia control spectacle lens among children in Israel: 12-Month Results. Am J Ophthalmol. 2023 Sep 9;257:103-112. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2023.08.019. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37690499.
2. Shamir Optical Industry Ltd. Metaform lenses have been tested by an independent third-party laboratory, COLTS Laboratories. The lab has tested dozens of Metaform lenses and the results show that Metaform lenses are up to 18 times stronger than FDA standard requirements. For full reports, please contact your local Shamir team.
