University eye clinic changing young people’s lives

The myopia management clinic is helping to identify, manage and slow down the development of short-sightedness

Myopia management clinic with Alicja Kalita and Dr Hetal Buckhurst

Mrs Amy King

Media and Communications Officer

Corporate Communications (Marketing and Communications)

4 September 2024

The University of Plymouth is running a clinic to help to identify and manage shortsightedness, with results already positively impacting young people.

Shortsightedness, or myopia, often begins in school aged children and progresses until early adulthood. Caused by excessive eyeball growth, it can lead to poor distance vision and its progression also increases the risk of sight threatening conditions such as retinal detachment and glaucoma.

However, in the last 10 years, exciting research has led to new methods of slowing down the development of myopia in children, and the University of Plymouth is running a clinic to offer the new strategies to those whose vision is affected.

The myopia management clinic is one of the services offered by the Optometry team at the University’s Centre for Eyecare Excellence (CEE), and a new set of dates has been announced from Friday 6 September.

Book an appointment

See a full list of eye care clinic dates and times.

Alicja's story

Alicja Kalita, aged 12, has already benefited from the clinic, after noticing that she couldn’t see writing on the board at school.

After a routine check-up at the optician for her long-sighted brother, she was invited onto the clinic to trial a new contact lens management programme, as well as receiving regular appointments and care.

Over a year after the initial appointment and progressing well, her mum, Maggie, is now encouraging other parents to go along if they have any concerns at all about their child’s vision.

Alicja Kalita and her mum, Maggie at the myopia management clinic

It all started with an appointment after Alicja said she was struggling to see what was written on a board at school.

I was at the Centre for Eyecare Excellence with my son and know the high standard of care, but when they mentioned the myopia clinic, it was a great opportunity to get Alicja the help she needed.

Staff were very reassuring at the initial consultation, and all of her treatment plans have been fully explained.

Myopia is in our family, so I knew to look for it, but other people might not be so aware. My advice is make sure you get an appointment if you have any concerns at all – the earlier you spot it, the more chance you have of being able to slow and manage it.

Maggie, Alicja's mum

Wearing the lenses felt strange at first but it does get better. I'm not restricted in anything and they have definitely helped.

Alicja Kalita

Our clinics offer a relatively new way of managing myopia in children, using contact lenses and specialised spectacles to help slow down myopia.

In addition to normal eye examinations to assess how the myopia is developing we also use specialist equipment to measure how long the eye is without touching them so we can accurately determine if the treatment is working. If the initial appointment shows that the young person has myopia, we’ll go forward and discuss how best to manage it.

Part of why we’re highlighting the clinic now is it’s the start of school year – there are so many things for parents to consider and we want them to know that support is there if they need it.

As this is a University Optometry practice, students will be present but for this clinic they are only observing. This is excellent for their academic development and real clinical practice. We know the work is already having a very positive effect on people like Alicja, so we hope to have the same impact on other families – please just get in touch.

Dr Hetal Buckhurst
Associate Professor of Optometry, who set up and leads the clinics

Mrs Amy King

Alicja's story

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