Myopia control spectacles

Myopia control spectacles: a new and research proven product to help slow the progression of short-sightedness.

Myopia, or short-sightedness, is a form of refractive error where the eye grows too long and as such, light falls in front of the light sensitive retina (where the cells turn the light into signals to the brain to help you see). If you are myopic, you will have a problem seeing things in the distance and you would be prescribed either spectacles or contact lenses with a minus (-) prescription to help correct the vision.

Myopia will usually onset and progress at the fastest rate in children and teens, as this is the period in which the eyes are growing. There are a number of risk factors of becoming myopic including family history (if one or both parents are myopic), ethnicity (myopia is more prevalent in Asian populations) and recent studies suggest that limited time outdoors can lead to progression of myopia.

Studies suggest that by the year 2050, 50% of the world’s population will be myopic and there will be greater levels of high myopia.

But why is myopia a problem?

Generally, myopia itself is not harmful and can be corrected. However, high levels of myopia increases the risk of a number of eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, retinal detachment and myopic macular degeneration. Some studies suggest that a person who is highly myopic may be up to 20x more likely to have serious eye conditions than someone who is not myopic.

Additionally, as myopia has a genetic link, a myopia epidemic in this generation will lead to the worsening of levels of myopia in future generations.

Hence, it is pivotal that children’s eyes are examined regularly and we can provide interventions, as they are most at risk of fast progressing myopia.

So what’s the solution?

Of course, we can correct myopia with spectacles or contact lenses. However, instead of just simply correcting it, there are now solutions to help slow down its progression, giving a long-term benefit of reduced myopia for the patient and decreasing the long-term risks mentioned above.

Over recent years, there have been a number of new products on the market, designed to help slow down the progression of myopia. We call these products ‘myopia control’ or ‘myopia management’.

Myopia control contact lenses have been on the market for a few years and most recently, a

number of lens manufacturers have used this technology and conducted research studies on myopia control spectacle lenses and there are now several that have become licensed for the market.

At Optika, we work closely with a number of lens manufacturers in order to bring you the best products. We are proud to be an official supplier of Essilor® Stellest spectacle lenses.

Essilor® Stellest

These lenses are Essilor’s myopia control spectacle solution. Essilor is a leading French lens manufacturer and is the largest manufacturer of spectacle lenses worldwide. They are known for their product quality and innovation, being the first to invent progressive spectacle lenses.

These lenses correct the myopia with a central single vision zone and use ‘H.A.L.T.’ technology with a number of lenslet rings in the periphery of the lens to help slow down the growth of the eye and hence, the myopia progression. Therefore, they make an excellent solution for children whose eyes are growing. For the child wearing the lenses they will have clear vision and it will be like wearing any other spectacle lenses. In Essilor’s reviews and research, 100% of wearers adapted to these spectacles within 1 week.

2 year research studies of using Essilor® Stellest lenses vs. traditional spectacle lenses shows that myopia was slowed by 67% on average (reference below).

We recommended these lenses for all myopic children and we can order them up to a prescription of -10.00 dioptres, giving excellent availability.

Interested?

First of all, an up-to-date eye examination with one of our eye care professionals is recommended. Your optometrist will then discuss the myopia, progression and risk factors with you and can guide you on if myopia control is the right choice for your child.

All Optika staff are trained in dispensing these lenses and we offer a complete service from the point of eye examination, to collection and regular reviews to assess for progression.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask a member of the team.

Reference:

Bao J. et al. (2021). Myopia control with spectacle lenses with aspherical lenslets: a 2-year randomized clinical trial. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci.; 62(8):2888.

Let’s help you choose the right lenses for you and your glasses

 Our team at Optika are here to find the most suitable lenses for your budget, prescription, lifestyle and needs. A solution which is tailored to you. 

Step 1: Lets Choose The Lens Manufacturer

We have a very wide portfolio of optical lenses to choose from various optical lens manufacturers including Class Optical Lenses, Essilor Lenses and Zeiss Lenses as well as the branded optical lenses by Ray ban Rx and Oakley Rx.

Step 2: Lets choose the lens type

Single vision lenses

Distance or Intermediate or Reading

Simply put: one prescription that covers the whole lens.

Bifocal lenses

If you need separate glasses for different distances a bifocal may be the option for you. There is a visible dividing line across a section of the lens.

Standard bifocal

Distance + Reading

Occupational Bifocal

Intermediate + Reading

Varifocal lenses or Progressive lenses or Multifocals

Distance to Intermediate to Reading

If you need separate glasses for different distance and would like one convenient pair of glasses then this is probably the most suitable solution. Unlike bifocals there is no visible line across the lens.

Our progressive lenses are fitted by our optical team ensuring greater wearer tolerance , faster adaptation and all round clear vision.

Each of our lens brands carries a range of progressive designs that enables us to find the right lens to suit your budget needs and lifestyle. Fully tailor made progressive lens solutions are also available, namely through our Zeiss Individual lens.

Occupational Progressive Lenses

Intermediate to Reading

There are no visible lines across the lens

Digital Lenses

Mainly Distance + a Reading boost

A type of progressive lens which is mainly dedicated to Distance vision, having a reading boost towards the bottom of the lens.

Step 3: Choosing the Lens Index

A lens index determines how thin the lenses are made, allowing for a more aesthetically pleasing and lighter lens. The lens index is chosen based on your prescription and how thin you want your lenses.

Aspheric lenses are also optional to allow for a thinner and flatter lens with less aberrations, especially when it comes to plus prescriptions.

Step 4: Understanding the Lens Extras

Anti-reflection coating is a coating applied to the surface of the lens to reduce glare and reflections allowing for more light to pass through the lens. Nowadays this a standard choice by wearers as the benefits include a more aesthetically pleasing lens, sharper vision and greater comfort.

Blue light filter is used to absorb the extra blue energy light that is omitted from computer monitors, tablets, and smartphones that is not needed by the eye. Such light in extra amounts may cause digital eye strain so such a filter helps to alleviate the symptoms of digital eye fatigue.

Hard coats consist of a clear film that is applied to the lens surface that makes plastic lenses much more scratch resistant. Another standard choice for most wearers.

UV coat allows for a 100% protection from harmful UV rays.

Photochromic/ Photochromatic/ Transition Light intelligent Lenses that darken to a sunglasses when exposed to UV light, and return to a clear lens when indoors or not exposed to sunlight.

With modern photochromic lenses the process happens very quickly.

Permanent tints giving color to your lenses. We can apply anything from a light comfort tint to very dark sun lenses,

Solid tint  are available in various colors and varying depths of intensity, this tint is applied throughout the whole of the lens.

Graduated tint is darker at the top and gradually fades out to a much lighter shade at the bottom

Polarised lenses are a solid tint that enables the lenses to block out and eliminate glare from horizontal surfaces such as roads, water and snow.  

Mirrored Lenses can also be an option for you.

With so many advancements in spectacle lens design our dedicated fully trained optical dispensing staff will be happy to help and recommend the correct lenses for you, your life style and day to day needs. 

Visual Field Testing at Optika Opticians

A visual field test measures how much ‘side or peripheral’ vision you have. It is used to detect blind spots in your vision.

It is a straightforward test, painless, and does not involve eye drops. Essentially it involves responding to flashes of lights that are presented to you by clicking a button on a joystick. The machine will collate the responses you’ve given and plot onto a graph which will then be interpreted by our eye care professional.

A visual field test can detect vision loss caused by anything ranging from from eye diseases such as glaucoma to possible tumors or strokes.  

Visual field testing is available at our Optika Pender gardens clinic at the cost of 80 euro.

A Visual fields test is separate to an eye test and may be booked together with an eye test or as an appointment on its own. Appointments may be tailored according to your needs. 

For a full Glaucoma package which includes the visual fields test, intraocular pressure measurement as well as an OCT scan the cost is of 150 euro.

Read more on OCT testing

BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT

OCT Imaging at Optika Opticians

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging technique used to take cross-sectional scans of your retina.

With OCT our eye care professionals can see each of the retinal layers in great detail.

The scans provide a wealth of information about the health of the retina and are commonly used to help diagnose and monitor ocular diseases such as glaucoma, diabetes and macular diseases such as Age-Related Macular Degeneration, macular oedema and macular holes.

What’s the difference between an OCT and a Retinal photograph?

A Retinal photograph is a photo of the retinal surface viewing the retina face on, whilst an OCT is a cross-section through the deeper layers.

A retinal photograph gives your eye care professional a very good picture of the overall general health of the eye, whilst the OCT gives far greater detail allowing for detection of disease early on.

OCT is separate from an eye test and may be booked in conjunction with an eye test or as a separate appointment should the need arise. Our eye test bookings can be tailored according to your needs.  

The scan takes a couple of minutes to capture, and the results are then discussed.

OCT imaging is available only at our Optika Pender gardens clinic at the cost of €100.

BOOK EYE TEST

Interpreting Your Prescription

Interpreting Your Prescription

RE

SPHERE

CYLINDER

AXIS

LE
NEAR ADD:

PD:

INTERMEDIATE ADD:

Once you are done with your eye exam your eye care professional will give you your prescription. We understand that it may be difficult to interpret at times so here is a basic explanation:

RE – RIGHT EYE

LE – LEFT EYE

PD – PUPILLARY DISTANCE i.e. the distance in mm between your pupils.

SPHERE – Indicates if a person is short sighted / myopic ( ‘’-ve’’ sign) or long sighted /  hyperopic (“ +ve” sign)

CYLINDER – Indicates if an astigmatism is present. Astigmatism is a measure of how curved the cornea is.

AXIS – This is a number from 0 to 180 indicating the direction of the Astigmatism

NEAR ADD – Indicates Presbyopia, a condition where reading specs are needing generally at the age of 40+. This power is added to the distance prescription in order to bring a near object in focus. Usually this is a number in the range of +0.50 to +3.50

Pendergardens Store

Pendergardens store

New Optika Opticians flagship store Now open

Optika Opticians has now opened a new optical shop at Pendergardens, featuring a full selection of fashionable and functional eyeglasses, contact lenses, sunglasses and eyecare cosmetics specifically designed for contact lens users and people with hypersensitive skin. The new store, which is situated along St. Andrew’s Road in St. Julians, is Optika’s fourth outlet in Malta. Since 1965, the family run business company has established itself as one of the most trusted opticians on the island.

With the opening of the new store at Pendergardens, Optika’s emphasis will continue to be on customer service, ensuring everyone has a first-class experience when visiting any of the four company outlets located in Malta. Optika’s mission has always been that to provide an efficient service whilst simultaneously providing individual attention to each customer.

“At Optika we go out of our way to provide the highest standards of eye care and eye wear by investing in the latest equipment and building a professional team. Our new leading store at Pendergardens was built around the needs of our patients and customers as we aim to uphold and improve on the service our outlets are reputable for,” said resident Optika Optometrists Mr Jerome Gabarretta.

For the past fifty years Optika has not only proved to be a national front-runner in the eye health industry but through its stores, in Sliema, St. Julians and Rabat, it has turned out to be a one stop shop for all optical things and necessities. “We want to make sure that all our patients eye care needs are catered for through the optometric services my brother Kerstien, and myself provide as well as roping in other ophthalmologists who will complete the team,” added Mr Gabarretta.

The new store at Pendergardens is set over two floors, with a retail area on the ground floor which will display all the latest eyewear (sunglasses and optical) collections from major brands such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, Vogue, Persol, Oliver Peoples, Giorgio Armani, Burberry, Bulgari, Dolce&Gabbana, Michael Kors, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Tiffany & Co., Versace, and Valentino amongst others.  At the new Pendergardens place, Optika will also stock the latest ranges of contact lenses and contact lens care products.

On the upper floor the new store has Optika’s state of the art clinics with all the latest diagnostic equipment to give the very best eye care experience to patients. The public Pendergardens car park is also available for Optika’s customers to use. Undoubtedly the specialised team are raring to go as they  are using the very latest high-tech optical equipment which will surely make Optika’s outlet at Pendergardens as Malta’s favourite spot for eyecare and optometric clinical health services.

The new Optika flagship store in Pendergardens’ was co-financed by the European Union under the European Development Regional Fund through the Business Enhance SME Growth Grant Scheme.

Meet Our Team

optika-sliema-1

CHRIS

General Manager
Jerome

MR J GABARRETTA

Optometrist
Jodean-1

JODEAN

Senior Optical Dispenser
Kerstien

MR KERSTIEN GABARRETTA

Optometrist
RENE

RENAE

Shop Floor Manager
Abigail

ABIGAIL

Optical Assistant
AGNES

AGNES

Optical Assistant

Oakley Prescription

We are super excited to announce the launch of Oakley Authentic Prescription lenses at Optika Opticians.

Oakley have introduced Oakley Authentic Prescription lenses. So once you have chosen your Oakley eyewear (Sun or Optical) you may have them fitted with Oakley Authentic Prescription lenses according to your prescription.

Merging optical innovation and leading lens technology, Oakley Authentic Prescription lenses are designed exactly to your needs.

They are made with Stealth Technology, an anti reflective coating that reduces glare and repels smudges, allowing your eyewear to stay cleaner for longer.

When it comes to Sun, Oakley Authentic Prescription lenses has you covered, with UV protection to help block harmful rays of lights and keep your eyes damage-free.

You can opt for Oakley Prizm Gaming lenses – Level up with Prizm Lens technology and excellent blue light filtering to take gaming to the next level. These lenses are designed to enhance visual contrast, sharpen up vision, and filter excess amounts of blue energy light.

All Oakley Authentic Prescription lenses are laser etched with a signature ‘O’, an icon of innovation and proof of quality.

Never Lose Sight.
Your Style.
Your Prescription

Order Oakley Authentic Prescription lenses from any of our stores in Sliema | St.Julians | Rabat or get in touch for more info.

RayBan Prescription

Check out prescription lenses section

https://www.davidclulow.com/new-ray-ban-prescription-lenses-now-available/

Your Rayban’s – clear Or Sun – can be custom fitted with authentic Rayban prescription Lenses at Optika Opticians. They feature:

Rayban Signature – Your rayban prescription lenses are engraved with Rayban’s iconic signature on the right lens and the Rayban initials on the left

Optional Rayban Blue light filter – reduces exposure to blue light from digital devices

UV Protection – 100% Protection from harmful UV rays

Sunglasses – Your rayban sunglasses can be custom made to your prescription

Your Contact Lens Guide

Your Contact Lens Guide

Find all the information to help you decide
whether to switch to contact lenses below.

First time wearers

Age or prescription is generally not a problem. There is a contact lens solution for nearly everyone.

You would need to start with an eye test to determine prescription followed by a contact lens recommendation and fit by your eye care professional.

Practice makes perfect when it comes to learning how to handle your contact lenses. If you decide to wear lenses we are here to help and show you how to handle and care for your lenses.  

Advanced technology used in Contact lens materials nowadays means that they are extremely comfortable and you will barely notice they are there.

Daily vs Biweekly vs Monthly?

Daily Lens wear

Easy and Convenient: Just wear the lens for up to a day and throw away after use. No need for cleaning and storage. Lenses usually come in a box of 30. If its convenience and practicality you are after then these are the lenses for you.

Biweekly
Lens care for these lenses are the same as monthly lens wear. Only difference is that these lenses must be replaced every 2 weeks. 48 lenses are needed per year.
Monthly Lens wear

Can be worn everyday, taking them out at night and storing correctly. Lenses need to be replaced one month from opening. You need 12 pairs a year plus a cleaning solution and case which needs to be replaced on a monthly basis.

Fewer lenses are needed, so generally better value for money.

The contact lens must be rubbed with the solution for at least 10 seconds and then rinsed with the same solution and placed into the clean contact lens case filled with fresh solution.

The solution in the case should be replaced on a daily basis.

When wearing the contact lenses, clean the case with multipurpose solution and allow to air-dry face down on a clean tissue within a clean environment.

Contact Lenses Coach

If you are trying contact lenses for the first time we recommend you book and appointment with our optometrists so that an eye care assessment can be carried out to assess your suitability for lenses and to be given advice on which lens best suits your lifestyle.

How to insert

wash-your-hands
Wash and dry your hands
contact-lens-2
Place the contact lens on the tip of your index finger of your dominant hand (make sure your fingers are dry)
mirror
Get close to the mirror and look straight into your eye. With your middle finger pull the bottom of your eyelid down (same hand holding the contact lens)
contact-lens
Hold the upper eye lid firmly with the index finger on your hand not handling the contact lens.
contact-lens-3
Place the contact lens on the coloured part of your eye.
blink
Blink a few times.
If you find that your contact lens is folding over, it means you are not holding your eyelids firmly enough hence allowing yourself to blink before the contact lens has been inserted.

Contact Lenses and Kids

Can kids wear contact lenses?

There is no minimum or recommended age for wearing contact lenses, we simply recommend wearing contact lenses when we see that the user (with the consent of their parents) is responsible enough to care of and stick to the recommended cleaning and wearing regime. Kids and teenagers are actually the easiest to teach, they are very quick learners.

Some benefits of contact lenses:

They give you a wider field of vision
Enhance your sports performance and experience
Offer a better visual experience when prescribed correctly
Chances of getting injury due to wearing frame during activities are less

Wearing contact lenses often can improve how children feel about their appearance, elevating their self-confidence.

It is important to note that complications mostly arise when contacts are worn or managed improperly.

The decision about whether your child can wear contact lenses or not needs to be taken together with your eye care professional.

Tips

Hygiene is key Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water and dry them properly prior to handling the contact lenses.

For those wearing make-up: insert lenses prior to wearing make up to avoid contamination of lenses

Never use tap water to rinse contact lenses.

Do not sleep in contact lenses

Avoid swimming in contact lenses

Always follow recommended wearing schedule and replacement frequency

Never place the contact lenses in your mouth to rinse

Never share your lenses with anyone else                 

Keep your nails short                                   

If you drop your contact lens clean thoroughly with multipurpose solution before inserting again.          

Do not reuse old solution

Three questions you should always ask yourself:

Do my eyes look good?Do my eyes feel good ?
Do my eyes see good?

If they don’t remove lenses immediately and see your eye care professional. If you are unwell avoid using your contacts

Common Eye Conditions

The below information is an overview of some common eye conditions. Early detection for most conditions is crucial.

Myopia commonly known as short-sightedness is a condition of the eye where the light that comes in does not directly focus on the retina but in front of it, causing the image that one sees when looking at a distant object to be out of focus, but in focus when looking at a close object. Myopia is corrected with glasses or contact lenses.

Hyperopia a condition commonly known as being longsighted is a defect of vision caused by an imperfection in the eye , causing difficulty focusing on near objects, and in extreme cases causing a sufferer to be unable to focus on objects at any distance . Hyperopia is corrected with glasses or contact lenses.

Astigmatism is an eye condition that can occur in conjunction with myopia or hyperopia or on its own. The front of the eye is not perfectly spherical causing the image of the object to be focuses at two different points and so is blurred. Astigmatism can be often corrected by glasses or contact lenses.

Diabetic retinopathy, also known as diabetic eye disease, is when damage occurs to the retina due to diabetes. It can eventually lead to blindness. It affects up to 80 percent of all patients who have had diabetes for 10 years or more. Research indicates that at least 90% of these new cases could be reduced if there were proper and vigilant treatment and monitoring of the eyes. The longer a person has diabetes, the higher his or her chances of developing diabetic retinopathy.

Dry Eye syndrome is caused by eye dryness which, in turn, is caused by either decreased tear production or increased tear film evaporation. The eyes feel uncomfortable, gritty, and sometimes may appear very red. Dry eye can affect anyone at any time, although it is more common as we get older.

Cataracts is a clouding of the lens in the eye leading to a loss in vision. They may affect one or both eyes. Often they develop slowly. Symptoms may include faded colours, blurry vision, halos around light, trouble with bright lights, and trouble seeing at night. This may result in trouble driving, reading, or recognizing faces. Cataracts are most commonly due to ageing, but may also occur due to trauma, radiation exposure, be present from birth, or occur following eye surgery for other problems. Risk factors include diabetes, smoking tobacco, prolonged exposure to sunlight and alcohol. A short surgical procedure replaces the opaque natural lens with a clear artificial lens.

Glaucoma is a term describing a group of ocular (eye) disorders that result in optic nerve damage, often associated with increased fluid pressure in the eye. Open-angle chronic glaucoma is painless, tends to develop slowly over time and often has no symptoms until the disease has progressed significantly. Closed-angle glaucoma, however, is characterized by sudden eye pain, redness, nausea and vomiting, and other symptoms resulting from a sudden spike in intraocular pressure, and is treated as a medical emergency.

Macular degeneration, is a medical condition that usually affects older adults and results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field because of damage to the retina. It occurs in “dry” and “wet” forms. It is a major cause of blindness and visual impairment in older adults (>50 years), afflicting 30-50 million people globally. Macular degeneration can make it difficult or impossible to read or recognize faces, although enough peripheral vision remains to allow other activities of daily life.

Floaters are deposits of various size, shape, consistency, refractive index, and motility within the eye’s vitreous humour, which is normally transparent. The common type of floater, which is present in most person’s eyes, is due to degenerative changes of the vitreous humour. They are more noticeable on bright days or when looking at light coloured objects, for example a page of a book. Most people notice floaters in their vision at some point in their lives. Myopic people often notice them more, and they are more common with age. Most of the time, these floaters are perfectly normal. But if you suddenly notice a large increase in floaters, or notice any flashes of light, or even a shadow across your vision, you should have your eyes checked.