Research Reveals That Overnight Contact Lenses Halt Short-sightedness in Children

LONDON, April 7, 2010 - Over the past 30 years, short-sightedness has increased
significantly and now affects 42% of the population(2). As short-sightedness
is inherited, it is now it a key health issue facing families; however, the
results from a major new study into myopia control(1) have revealed that if
children are fitted with special overnight contact lenses, the progression of
their short-sightedness can be halted.

The SMART Study(1) into myopia control involves over 250
children who are being monitored over a five-year period. After two years,
the control group wearing soft contact lenses experienced an average increase
in their prescription of almost one dioptre (equal to 3-4 lines on an eye
chart). The children wearing the new overnight contact lenses experienced no
clinically significant increase in their myopia.

Whilst myopia rates in the western world were assumed to be
25%, research published last December reported a rise of 66% over the last 30
years.(2) Short-sightedness is typically diagnosed around the age of 10 and
progresses at around -0.5 dioptres per year until it stabilises in the early
20's. The primary driver of short-sightedness is genetic, but this sudden
increase has been attributed to modern living: children now spend around 7
hours a day staring at computers and mobile phones(4) and less time outdoors
in natural light.(3)

Mrs Huang and her husband are both high myopes and their
children have inherited this condition. Valerie, the eldest, is -3.75D, her
brother Antonio is -6.00D and sister Maxine is -1.00D. "I found out about
overnight vision correction from my goddaughter in China who has been wearing
overnight lenses for seven years. She is now 25 and her prescription has not
changed in that time," says Mrs Haung.

Maxine, the youngest child, stands to benefit most from myopia
control. At six, her short-sightedness is still mild and has been caught in
time. By fitting her now, it is expected that her prescription will remain at
around -1.00D and not progress to the higher levels of her brother. Valerie,
15, can also benefit from her prescription not increasing and she is noticing
other benefits. "As I have got older I have found glasses more inconvenient.
I do lots of sport and with swimming I always had to get new goggles every
time my prescription changed. Wearing my lenses at night gives me so much
more freedom."

Overnight contact lenses are made using a unique computerised
map of the eye surface and are specially designed to sleep in. They gently
flatten the cornea, altering the angle at which light enters the eye so it
focuses correctly on the retina. By holding the eye in the correct shape as
the eye develops, the lens acts like a dental brace. When the lenses are
removed in the morning, full vision correction is maintained for over 24
hours. The lenses can be worn at any age but for children the additional
benefit of stabilising their prescription before it becomes too high is
significant. In the long term those with high degrees of short-sightedness
are more likely to develop retinal detachment, glaucoma and cataracts.

Jennifer Golden, CEO of i-GO Optical - which markets the new
overnight contact lenses, says "Whilst i-GO lenses are relatively new in the
UK, there are already over 100,000 people worldwide wearing them. They have
major benefits for children not only because of the added freedom and
confidence its gives them at school but importantly their ability to arrest
the development of myopia."

Shelly Bansal, a specialist contact lens practitioner who has
fitted a number of adolescents, says: "Over the years there have been many
products which have claimed to halt myopia progression in children and now
for the first time there is real evidence to support overnight vision
correction as a treatment for short-sighted children."

ADDITIONAL EXCLUSIVE CASE STUDIES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

ABOUT i-GO OVERNIGHT VISION CORRECTION

    - The SMART Study uses i-GO OVC contact lenses, which is the
      UK trademark for the Emerald Lens design a US-trademarked and patented
      contact lens made by Euclid Systems Corp, Herndon,VA

    - Around 75% of all short-sighted people are suitable -
      prescriptions up to -5.00D with astigmatism less than 1.5D.

    - Initial design and fitting from GBP200 plus GBP40 per month
      available on prescription through accredited opticians.

    - Children can claim a NHS allowance against the treatment.

    - The lenses are a European CE marked medical device and
      approved by the US Food and Drugs administration
      (www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/DeviceApprovalsandClearances/Recently-ApprovedDevices/ucm081099.htm)

    - Interested consumers can contact i-GO on +44(0)844-7362579
      or visit www.igolenses.com

    AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW

    - Dr S Barry Eiden, OD, FAAO - Lead Clinician The SMART Study

    - Shelly Bansal FBDO, (Hons)CL, FBCLA - Clinical consultant for i-GO

REFERENCES

1. SMART Study - (The Stabilization of Myopia through
Accelerated Reshaping Technique)

A 5 year longitudinal study. Year two findings were presented
at the Global Specialty Lens Symposium by Dr Barry Eiden, OD, FAAO in Las
Vegas (January 2010)

2. Increased Prevalence of Myopia in the United States Between
1971-1972 and 1999-2004

Susan Vitale PhD, MHS Epidemiologist at the National Eye
Institute Archives of Ophthalmology December 2009
(archopht.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/127/12/1632?maxtoshow=&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=Susan+Vitale%2C+an+epidemiologist+at+the+National+Eye+Institute%2C+which+is+part+of+the+National+Institutes+of+Health%2C+and+her+co-authors+looked+at+a+national+survey+that+gave+vision+tests+to+American&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT)

3. Outdoor Activity Reduces the Prevalence of Myopia in
Children

Kathryn A. Rose, PhD, at al (2009)
(www.ophsource.org/periodicals/ophtha/article/S0161-6420(07)01364-4/abstract)

4. Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds

The Kaiser Family Foundation (2010)
(www.kff.org/entmedia/mh012010pkg.cfm)

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For more information contact Jennifer Golden on +44(0)7976-439060 or
Jennifer@igolenses.com

For more information contact Jennifer Golden on +44(0)7976-439060 or Jennifer at igolenses.com