Option by option
Myopia control options
Each option does a different job and carries a different FDA status. Results vary from child to child, and your doctor explains the risks of each before you decide.
- FDA-authorized for children 8 to 12 at the start
Dual-focus daily contact lenses
Soft lenses worn in the day and thrown away each night. Zones of different focus across the lens are designed to slow eye growth.
Needs a fitting visit and a lens handling lesson for child and parent
Risks include eye infection and irritation; the doctor explains them
Checked at every follow-up visit
- Used off-label to slow myopia
Overnight lenses (orthokeratology)
Firm lenses worn while asleep that reshape the front of the eye, so vision is clear the next day without glasses. They are approved for temporary correction of nearsightedness; using them to slow myopia is off-label.
Higher risk of eye infection than daytime lenses
Needs strict cleaning and regular check visits
Not a fit for every eye shape or prescription
- Used off-label
Low-dose atropine eye drops
A very dilute dilating drop given at bedtime. A compounding pharmacy prepares it from the doctor's prescription.
Can cause light sensitivity and blurry near vision
Response is checked at each visit
Plans often do not cover it
- One design FDA-authorized for children 6 to 12 at the start
Myopia-control eyeglass lenses
Glasses with a lens design that changes the focus toward the edges of the lens.
No contact lens handling
A choice when lenses or drops do not suit a child
Ask the doctor what is known about each design
- Not a myopia control option
Standard glasses or contact lenses
Single-vision lenses correct blurry distance vision and do not claim to slow its progression. For some families this is the right choice, and we keep measuring.
The prescription is still checked every visit
A change of plan is always possible
Why results vary
Children's eyes grow at different rates, and the same option does not work the same way twice. Some children's eyes grow more slowly with an option and some do not respond. That is why we measure at every visit and talk about whether to continue, change or stop.
Where an option is used off-label, a doctor uses an approved product for a purpose the FDA has not reviewed. We say so, and you decide with the full picture.
- Sudden vision loss, flashes of light, a curtain over your vision, a chemical splash or an eye injury needs care now. Call our office right away or go to an emergency room. If you can't reach us, call 911.
About the options
Which option fits my child?
The doctor decides with you after an evaluation, looking at age, prescription, how it is changing, and what your family can manage every day.
Can options be combined?
Sometimes. Combining options is its own decision with its own questions, and the doctor goes through them with you.
Book a myopia evaluation
Pick a time in our booking system, or call and we will find one with you.