The Myopia Control in Real Clinical Practice: The Results of an Expert Study

The article presents expert study results about myopia control. The study was conducted by Russian eye care practitioners in 2019.

Purpose. to summarize the views of eye care practitioners on the problem of myopia control in Russia.

Methods. The study was conducted by mailing (sending) questionnaires to practitioners. The questionnaire contained 9 questions. Base questionnaire was developed by British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) for global study, translated into Russian and updated with items of interest to Russian practitioners.

Results. 356 questionnaires were received and processed. Concern increasing frequency of pediatric myopia was highest (9.0 ± 0.08 on a 10 point scale). Orthokeratology was perceived to be the most effective method of myopia control, followed by myopia control soft contact lenses and increased time outdoors. Perceived effectiveness rated as percentage was 50.7 ± 1.6 %, 44.9 ± 1.8 % и 42.9 ± 1.7 % respectively. Perifocal spectacles correction was perceived to be the most effective method in the Southern area of Russia (56.8 ± 11.1 %), atropine — in the Northwestern Federal District (39.5 ± 7.1 %), scleroplasty — in the Far East (55.1 ± 7.6 %). Under-correction was perceived to be the least effective method in all areas (11.6 ± 1.0 %). Increased time outdoors was a priority for most practitioners (on average 94.0 ± 7.8 prescriptions per month by one practitioner). Practitioners prescribed single vision spectacles as the primary mode of correction for myopic patients (47.2 ± 3.6 prescriptions per month by one practitioner). Phenylephrine instillation was used often (49.4 ± 3.6 prescriptions per month by one practitioner). This trend was in most areas. Vision therapy was used most frequent in Siberia and the Urals and in the Far East (70.4 ± 11.5 и 20.0 ± 5.2 prescriptions per month by one practitioner respectively). The most common reasons practitioners gave for not adopting myopia control strategies were: they were felt to be uneconomical (42.1 %); they considered there to be inadequate information about the modalities (22.2 %). 45 % practitioners from the Far East called the last reason the main one. 42.9 % practitioners from Northwestern Federal District did not believe that these are any more effective methods then single vision correction.

Conclusion. The active promotion and introduction into everyday clinical practice of myopia control methods that have proven to be highly effective could help reduce the frequency of progressive and degenerative myopia

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