Pediatric Myopia
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a condition where things that are far are harder to see. Myopia results from an abnormal elongation of the eyeball, blurring objects viewed at a distance (see image below). In other words, distant objects appear blurry until they are brought close to the eyes.
What is Myopia?
Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, causes poor long-distance vision. In myopic eyes, the eyeball is either longer than normal, or the cornea is too curved, both causing some images to be blurry.
ABOUT MYOPIA IN CHILDREN
A child’s eyes grow the fastest when they are between the ages of 6-18 years old. If their eye grows irregularly, it can lead to vision problems like myopia. Today in the U.S., about 40% of kids have myopia, compared to just 20% three decades ago. This is not only a US problem, because by the year 2050, myopia is expected to affect half the world’s population.
The steady progression of myopia over time can result in high myopia and significantly increases one’s risk of retinal detachment, myopic macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and ultimately blindness.
CHILDHOOD MYOPIA TREATMENTS
The first line treatment for myopia is glasses, which do correct vision but do not treat the underlying disease or help to slow myopia progression. There are currently no approved pharmaceutical treatments to slow the progression of myopia in the US and Europe.
Contact lenses such as orthokeratology (hard contacts which reshape the cornea) are available. So are soft multifocal contact lenses. Typically, these specialty contacts can be expensive.
OUR APPROACH: LOW DOSE ATROPINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF CHILDHOOD MYOPIA (NVK002)
WHAT IS NVK002?
Vyluma is developing NVK002, a novel, investigational, preservative-free low-dose atropine eye drop which is administered nightly, as a single drop to both eyes. NVK002 uses Vyluma’s proprietary technology, designed for maximum stability and tolerability. Vyluma is currently testing two concentrations in the US and Europe in multiple clinical studies. The product is being studied for up to 4 years to evaluate if it is safe and effective.
CHILDHOOD ATROPINE FOR MYOPIA PROGRESSION (CHAMP) STUDY
NVK002 is being studied and evaluated to see if it can slow progression of myopia in children ages 3 to 17. The CHAMP study (Childhood Atropine for Myopia Progression) is fully enrolled with the main results expected to be presented in 2022.
We have launched MyMyopia.com an awareness campaign sharing important information with parents and eye care professionals on the childhood myopia epidemic to improve lifelong ocular health. Vyluma is dedicated to preserving the vision of children worldwide.
MyMyopia.com
Everything you need to know about Myopia and a community supporting children’s ocular health.