What is Myopia?
Myopia, also known as nearsightedness and short-sightedness, is a condition in which the eye is unable to focus distant objects clearly. The severity of myopia is often categorized as mild, moderate or high.
Mild > -0.25 to -3
Moderate > -3 to -6
High > -6
Symptoms of Myopia:
Blurry vision when looking at far away objects
The need to squint to see objects clearly
Eyestrain
Experiencing headaches caused by straining your eyes
Myopia on the Rise: A Global Trend Analysis from 2000 to 2050
The prevalence of myopia has been increasing worldwide, leading to a significant rise in the risk of vision impairment. This trend is expected to continue in the coming decades. Myopia is a growing social concern as it can cause severe eye disorders, including myopic maculopathy, retinal detachment, and glaucoma, particularly in cases of high myopia.
*Data from Brien Holden Vision Institute (BHVI) Global Myopia Centre
Chart description: It is projected that 52% of the world's population (close to 5 billion people) will be affected by myopia by 2050.
Prevalence of Myopia in Children
Myopia usually starts during childhood when the eyes are still developing, it can progress into adolescence and young adulthood, resulting in vision deterioration over time. Preventing high myopia in childhood is crucial, but there are few effective treatments available, with limited options for oral medications or supplements to suppress its progression.
*Data from Global Epidemiology of Myopia, Springer eBook.
Chart description: Surveys of 12-year-old children in urbanized East Asian countries have consistently shown a higher prevalence of myopia.
Singapore: Myopia Capital of the World
Singapore is one of the countries that have been experiencing an alarming increase in myopia cases. This issue has been attributed to various factors, such as the country's urbanization and lifestyle changes that involve increased screen time and decreased outdoor activities.
*Data from MOH of Singapore
Chart description: Singapore is one of the highest rates of myopia globally, with most young adults and children affected.
MegaCro™ Gardenia for Myopia Control
Theory:
Myopia is associated with visual signals that lead to reduced choroidal capillary permeability and blood flow, resulting in scleral hypoxia (HO) and ultimately axial hyperextension. The reduction in oxygen and nutrient supply to the sclera, especially the inner sclera, causes scleral thinning and weakening, which induces inflammatory changes in Human scleral cells (HSFs). This results in overexpression of IL-6, which affects the proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of HSFs and contributes to scleral remodelling.
As HSFs are the main target cells in the sclera, the evaluation of MegaCro™ Gardenia and market gardenia extract was conducted on their performance under normal and low O2 conditions to assess their potential in suppressive effect of myopia control.
Research Design:
An in vitro study, MegaCro™ Gardenia and other gardenia extract in market were evaluated for their effects on cultured Human scleral fibroblasts (HSFs) under normal culture conditions and low O2 conditions. The research aimed to assess the growth promotion effect and IL-6 expression after treatment.
Research Design:
An in vitro study, MegaCro™ Gardenia and other gardenia extract in market were evaluated for their effects on cultured Human scleral fibroblasts (HSFs) under normal culture conditions and low O2 conditions. The research aimed to assess the growth promotion effect and IL-6 expression after treatment.
Conclusion:
Promote Eye Development
MegaCro™ Gardenia showed cell growth-promoting effect on HSFs cell, surpassing market gardenia extract by 20%, which beneficial to promote the development of healthy eyes.
Myopia Control
MegaCro™ Gardenia reduced IL-6 expression compared to control under low O2 condition, which contribute to myopia control.
Conclusion:
Promote Eye Development
MegaCro™ Gardenia showed cell growth-promoting effect on HSFs cell, surpassing market gardenia extract by 20%, which beneficial to promote the development of healthy eyes.
Myopia Control
MegaCro™ Gardenia reduced IL-6 expression compared to control under low O2 condition, which contribute to myopia control.
Safety Insights for Crocetin
Clinical studies on human subjects have determined that the recommended daily dosage of Crocetin is in the range of 7.5 mg to 15 mg per day for individuals with a body weight of 60 kg. These studies have shown that within this dosage range, Crocetin is well-tolerated and does not pose any toxicity concerns. The established no toxicity dosage for a 70 kg human is determined to be 156 g. These findings, derived from research endorsed by WHO, provide robust evidence supporting the safe and effective utilization of Crocetin as a dietary supplement for enhancing overall health and well-being.
Source: Safety Evaluation of Certain Food Additives - WHO FOOD ADDITIVES SERIES: 70 / Prepared by the Seventy-ninth meeting of the Joint FAO / WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).
Literature Reviews for Crocetin
Previous research on the safety of dietary crocetin indicated no adverse effects in adults who received oral doses ranging from 7.5 mg to 22.5 mg.1 Building on these findings, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 69 subjects between ages of 6 and 12 years to assess the impact of dietary supplementation of crocetin on myopia control in children. This study observed no adverse effects in children when a dosage of 7.5 mg of crocetin was administered during the experimental period. These findings highlight the safety profile of crocetin supplementation in children and provide scientific evidence supporting its potential role in myopia control.2
1. Phytomedicine. 2011 May 15;18(7):575-8.
DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2010.10.019.
2. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2019 Aug 7;8(8):1179.
DOI: 10.3390/jcm8081179.
Literature Reviews for Crocetin
Previous research on the safety of dietary crocetin indicated no adverse effects in adults who received oral doses ranging from 7.5 mg to 22.5 mg.1 Building on these findings, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 69 subjects between ages of 6 and 12 years to assess the impact of dietary supplementation of crocetin on myopia control in children. This study observed no adverse effects in children when a dosage of 7.5 mg of crocetin was administered during the experimental period. These findings highlight the safety profile of crocetin supplementation in children and provide scientific evidence supporting its potential role in myopia control.2
1. Phytomedicine. 2011 May 15;18(7):575-8.
DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2010.10.019.
2. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2019 Aug 7;8(8):1179.
DOI: 10.3390/jcm8081179.