Myopia Awareness Week 2024 is from May 13th to 19th.

Myopia, or near-sightedness, is an eye condition that causes distant objects to appear blurry. It is the most common refractive error, resulting from an irregular eye shape that leads to unclear vision.

Each year, Myopia Awareness Week provides an opportunity for parents worldwide to understand the increasing threat of myopia. Established in 2018 by a group of eye doctors and researchers at the Brien Holden Vision Institute in Australia, this initiative aims to educate parents about myopia and encourage proactive steps.

The prevalence of myopia is rising globally. By 2050, nearly half the world’s population—over 5 billion people—are expected to be affected. While prescription glasses and contact lenses can help nearsighted children and teens see better, myopia’s effects often extend beyond this.

Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to myopia, but recent increases are largely attributed to environmental influences. Studies show that reduced outdoor time and increased near-focused activities, such as reading or screen use, may contribute to developing myopia. Myopia occurs when the eyeball is elongated or when the cornea or lens is irregularly shaped. In a healthy eye, light focuses directly on the retina, but in myopia, it focuses in front of the retina, causing distant objects to appear blurry.

Symptoms of myopia can be subtle in children, and they might not recognize any issues. Signs to watch for include:

• Frequent squinting
• Rubbing their eyes
• Difficulty reading from whiteboards or seeing distant objects
• Holding items close to their eyes
• Short attention spans
• Fatigue after prolonged focus
• Struggles in school
• Occasional headaches (less common)

If you notice these behaviours in your child, it’s important to schedule an eye exam to assess their vision and eye health. Myopia often progresses throughout childhood and into the teenage years, leading to blurred distance vision despite correction.

On a vision prescription, myopia is indicated in the Sphere (SPH) column as a negative number (e.g., -1.25 diopters). The larger the number after the minus sign, the more severe the myopia, increasing the risk of serious eye issues later in life, such as retinal detachments, cataracts, and macular disease (myopic macular degeneration). The risk of complications grows with the severity of myopia, with high myopia (defined as -6D or worse) carrying significantly higher risks.

While corrective lenses (glasses and contact lenses) are the standard treatment for myopia, they do not prevent its progression and may even worsen it. The goal of myopia management is to prevent the elongation of the eyeball through drug therapy (eye drops that limit focusing) or specialised multifocal lenses that shift the focus in front of the retina.

Though myopia often has a hereditary aspect and cannot be entirely prevented, research indicates that its progression can be slowed, especially in children. Encouraging outdoor activities and reducing screen time may help, possibly due to increased sunlight exposure and the need to focus on distant objects. While myopia cannot be fully prevented, it can be managed through corrective lenses—such as multifocal glasses or contacts—and through drug therapies aimed at restricting focusing.

Image: Reproduced under Open Access from Hoang, Q.V., Chua, J., Ang, M., Schmetterer, L. (2020). pp 219–239. Imaging in Myopia. In: Ang, M., Wong, T. (eds) Updates on Myopia. Springer, Singapore. 

It’s Tuesday 12th March … Happy World Glaucoma Day!

World Glaucoma Week (10 – 16^th March 2024) is a collaborative effort between the World Glaucoma Association and the World Glaucoma Patient Association, celebrating a decade of success. The week is dedicated to raising awareness about glaucoma, often referred to as the “silent thief of sight.”

Glaucoma encompasses a range of eye diseases that lead to progressive damage of the optic nerve, responsible for transmitting visual information to the brain. If untreated, glaucoma typically advances without warning or noticeable symptoms, resulting in gradual vision loss and potentially blindness. Once vision is lost, it is usually irreversible, earning glaucoma the title of “silent blinding disease.”

Globally, glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness. Alarmingly, up to 50% of those with the condition in developed countries are unaware they have it, and this figure can rise to 90% in less developed regions.

There are various types of glaucoma, with some developing as a complication of other eye disorders (known as “secondary” glaucoma), while the majority are classified as “primary,” arising without a known cause. It was once thought that high intraocular pressure (IOP) was the primary cause of glaucoma, but it is now understood that individuals with normal IOP can also develop the disease. Consequently, IOP is considered a risk factor alongside other elements such as black race, family history, high myopia, and age.

Some forms of glaucoma can be congenital or occur during childhood, but most cases appear after the age of 40, with prevalence increasing with age. There is no significant difference in glaucoma rates between men and women. The most common types of adult-onset glaucoma include Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG), prevalent among individuals of Caucasian and African descent, and Angle-Closure Glaucoma (ACG), which is more frequently seen in individuals of Asian descent. ACG can be chronic like POAG or, in acute cases, present as a painful condition leading to rapid vision loss.

Currently, there is no cure for glaucoma, and any vision loss is irreversible. However, medications and surgical options (both traditional and laser) can slow or prevent further loss of vision. Therefore, early detection is crucial in limiting visual impairment and preventing progression to severe visual disability or blindness. Eye care professionals can identify glaucoma in its early stages and recommend appropriate actions. Visit your local opticians for vision and glaucoma screening or consult a doctor if you have either sudden pain in the eyes with redness and blurred vision.

Image – reproduced under Open Access from Hsu E, Desai M. Glaucoma and Systemic Disease. Life. 2023; 13(4):1018. 

Festive greetings from the Eyes2Eyes team. From the bottom of our hearts, we want to express our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you who supported our cause throughout the year. We are indebted to our partners and sponsors who are instrumental to us carrying out our mission. To all, your generosity, kindness, and ongoing commitment have fuelled our mission and transformed the lives of many people who face challenges of corneal vision impairment.

The 2023 year brought with it many highlights for our charity, whilst can also be accessed through the Eyes2Eyes Instagram page.

1. Music for Sight Fundraising Concert (11^th February 2023) at D’Aria Wine Estate, Durbanville. A live performance under the stars from the Heydeburg Chamber Orchestra, under the baton of Dr Leonard Heydenrych, in collaboration with the world renowned Tygerberg Children’s Choir and the Outeniqua Jazz Band.
2. Supported multiple clients, mostly adolescents, with the assistance of our partner, @uthandosa, founded by @jamesferniect.
   • Akhona (@uthandosa in collaboration with @80daysdk)
   • Luqmaan (@uthandosa)
   • Melissa (excellent outcomes, 20/20 vision in both eyes with her specialist lenses.
   • Likho (@uthandosa in collaboration with @weareafricatravel) – was able to finish Grade 11 this year with crystal clear sight
   • Kabelo – 12 year old, able to return to school, won multiple prizes at the end of the year
   • Esam
   • Shakier – ran his first full marathon in 2023, the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, and also took on the Level 1 Coaching course with Athletics South Africa!
   • Eness
   • Tracey
   • Toufiqha
   • Fadous (@uthandosa in collaboration with Livingstone Safaris) – 16 year old, highly talented clarinet player at the Hugo Lamprecht Music Academy, was able to return to mainstream school from Athlone school from the blind, and read sheet music for the very first time.
   • Mogammat – 17 year old from Athlone
   • Qaqamba (in collaboration with The Ackerman Family Foundation) – was able to return to her studies in public health without detrimental vision impairment
   • Tayyib (in collaboration with The Ackerman Family Foundation)
   • Robert
   • Tauhirah – 20 years old
   • Athi (in collaboration with Grandslots Corporate Social Investment)
   • Faiz (in collaboration with Grandslots Corporate Social Investment)
   • Bronwyn (@uthandosa, @xmaseko) – 30 years old, was able to return to her full-time job
   • Loren
3. Congratulations to Sese! A new board member of Eyes2Eyes
   • Sese spent many years receiving prescription spectacles that simply did not give her functional vision. She received her customised scleral lenses almost two years ago – since then her career and quality of life has excelled, and was also promoted this year to a more senior role as a finance administrator.
4. Visit to Two Oceans Aquarium at V&A waterfront for our beneficiares
   • Another beautiful, heartfelt gift from our friends Uthando South Africa. So many members of the group were able to clearly appreciate the stunning colours and sights at the aquarium.
5. Mandela Day
   • To honour the legacy of Nelson Mandela, we made sandwiches and soup for vulnerable communities in Greenpoint, Cape Town. In collaboration with Salesians Youth Institute, Smile FM and Jenny Morris.
6. Cape Talk – Gift of Life Podcast Series
   • The founder of Eyes2Eyes, Amanda Seccombe, shared her incredible story with one of the radio hosts of Cape Talk, Pippa Hudson, available at https://www.capetalk.co.za/podcasts
7. Limitless Cape Town
   • Eyes2Eyes were invited to join a wonderful tour of murals in Salt River, Cape Town, guided by Winston Fani, Africa’s first blind tour guide. Each mural has a braille plaque and a QR Code which leads to an audio description by Winston detailing the story behind the piece. The outing was insightful, educational and inspiring for us to continue our work.
8. Launch of our Eye Q Podcast
   • In our latest episode, Freddie chats with Willem from California about his journey with keratoconus and why he took on the California International Marathon on Sunday 8^th December in aid of Eyes2Eyes.

As we enter into 2024, let us carry forward our lessons learned, our relationships strengthened, and strive for more success in raising awareness for corneal vision impairments, and helping our current and future clients achieve optimal vision outcomes.

Image: Starline, FreePik