In This Article
Can Myopia Progression Be Slowed?
Yes. Myopia Management can slow the progression of nearsightedness in children. Treatment aims to slow the excessive eye growth that causes their prescription to become stronger.
Regular glasses correct blurry distance vision, but they don’t slow that underlying growth. Myopia Management uses specialized contact lenses, prescription eye drops, or specially designed glasses to address progression while your child’s eyes are still developing.
Treatment doesn’t reverse existing myopia or guarantee that the prescription will stop changing. The goal is to reduce how much nearsightedness develops over the coming years.
Why Does My Child’s Prescription Keep Increasing?
In most children with myopia, the eye grows too long from front to back. This causes light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it, making distant objects look blurry.
As the eye continues to grow longer, a stronger prescription is needed to bring those objects back into focus. New glasses restore clear vision, but the eye can continue growing afterward.
Several factors influence myopia development, including family history and time spent outdoors. Extended periods of close-up work may also contribute. Screens are only one form of close-up activity; reading and homework count, too.
Your child’s age and prescription history help their doctor understand the pattern and recommend what to do next.
Why Is Slowing Myopia Important?
Higher levels of myopia are associated with a greater lifetime risk of eye conditions such as retinal detachment, glaucoma, and damage to the central retina known as myopic maculopathy. These conditions can affect vision even when someone has the correct glasses prescription.
Slowing progression during childhood aims to limit how nearsighted your child becomes and may reduce those future risks. Starting earlier gives treatment more time to act during the years when their eyes are growing.
Clear vision today remains essential for school, sports, and everyday activities. Myopia Management also considers the health of the eyes your child will depend on throughout adulthood.
What Are the Treatment Options?
The best choice depends on your child’s age, prescription, eye health, and daily routine. At Solaire Vision, we offer several approaches so we can recommend a treatment that fits your child.
Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)
Ortho-K uses custom contact lenses worn overnight to temporarily reshape the front surface of the eye. This provides clear daytime vision, often without glasses or daytime contacts, while helping slow myopia progression.
It can appeal to children who prefer to be free of glasses during sports and other activities. Consistent overnight wear, careful lens hygiene, and follow-up visits are essential.
MiSight Contact Lenses
MiSight lenses are soft, daily disposable contacts that correct distance vision and slow myopia progression. Your child wears them during the day and discards them after use.
They avoid the cleaning and storage routine of reusable lenses, although children still need to learn safe handling and follow their prescribed wearing schedule.
Atropine Eye Drops
Low-dose atropine drops are prescribed to slow myopia progression. They don’t correct blurry distance vision, so children generally still need glasses or contact lenses.
The concentration is selected by the doctor. Possible side effects include light sensitivity and difficulty focusing up close, which should be discussed when choosing treatment.
Stellest Eyeglass Lenses
Stellest lenses correct nearsightedness while using a specialized optical design to slow progression. They offer a glasses-based option for children who prefer glasses or aren’t ready for contact lenses.
Unlike ordinary single-vision glasses, these lenses are designed specifically for Myopia Management. Consistent wear as prescribed is part of treatment.
Your doctor should explain the expected benefits, practical demands, and risks of each suitable option so you can make an informed decision.
When Should We Consider Treatment?
Bring up Myopia Management when your child is first diagnosed with nearsightedness, especially if they’re young or their prescription is already increasing. You don’t need to wait until their glasses become strong to ask about treatment. Research supports addressing progression while children’s eyes are still growing.
Bring previous prescriptions if you have them. Comparing results helps the doctor understand how much has changed and over what period.
Useful questions to ask include:
How quickly is my child’s myopia progressing?
Which treatment would you recommend, and why?
How will you measure whether it’s working?
What will the daily routine and follow-up schedule involve?
What does the program cost, and what is included?
Treatment usually requires ongoing care through the years of progression. Follow-up visits allow the doctor to assess your child’s response and decide whether the plan needs adjusting.
What Can We Do at Home?
Encourage outdoor time each day, aiming for about two hours when practical, with appropriate sun protection. Spending time outdoors has the clearest benefit in reducing the likelihood of children developing myopia. It should accompany prescribed treatment once myopia is progressing.
Help your child follow their treatment routine and attend follow-up visits. Let their doctor know if lens handling, discomfort, or another part of the routine is making treatment difficult. A plan needs to be manageable for your family to follow it consistently.
Conclusion
A child’s glasses prescription can keep increasing because their eyes are continuing to grow too long. Myopia Management offers ways to slow that progression while keeping their vision clear.
If your child’s prescription is getting stronger, ask about treatment now. Understanding their progression and the available options gives you a clearer basis for deciding how to protect their vision as they grow.
Myopia Management at Solaire Vision
Our Myopia Management program is guided by Dr. Sami Khaldieh, an IACMM-accredited optometrist with advanced training in Myopia Management and orthokeratology.
We consider your child’s prescription history, eye growth, and daily routine when recommending treatment. Ongoing monitoring helps us assess their response and adjust the plan when needed, with time to explain the findings and answer your questions.
Consultations are available at our Herndon and Oakton offices. Contact Us to ask questions or schedule a consultation.