Myopia Management
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common vision condition where distant objects appear blurry while close objects are seen clearly. Many cases of myopia can be easily treated with corrective lenses, but severe cases may require additional treatment.
What is Myopia?
Nearsighted eyes see close objects clearly, while objects far away are blurry without glasses correction. Myopic vision occurs when the eye’s shape causes light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it, distorting vision and causing more distant objects to appear blurred. Myopia occurs in children and adults. Researchers have predicted that by 2050, half of the world’s population will likely be myopic (about 5 billion people). In the United States, the incidence of myopia has doubled over the past 50 years.
Myopia Treatment
High myopia – generally defined as nearsightedness requiring a glasses correction of -6.00 diopters or more – is associated with a higher risk of eye diseases such as retinal detachments, myopic maculopathy, glaucoma, and early cataracts. Reducing the severity of nearsightedness not only improves quality of life, but could also decrease the chance of developing one of these vision-threatening diseases. There are ways to slow down the progression of myopia, and the younger the person is, the better our treatment process will work.
There are currently four treatment options for slowing down myopic progression in kids: orthokeratology, soft multifocal contact lenses, atropine eye drops and Essilor® Stellest® Lenses.
Myopia Treatment Types
To schedule a myopia management consultation for your child, call 603-945-4151.
Orthokeratology
Orthokeratology, or ortho-k, involves using specially designed contact lenses that reshape the cornea over time and correct vision, similar to how dental braces straighten teeth. Typically worn at night, these lenses reshape the eye’s front surface while you sleep. Although vision improvements are reversible, they can be maintained with consistent use of the lenses.
Soft Multifocal Contact Lenses
Myopia progression in children and teenagers occurs when the eye grows faster than intended. Myopia management soft contact lenses are designed to slow this growth by directing some light rays to focus in front of the retina, signaling the eye to stop growing. These special contact lens designs have proven effective in managing myopia in children and teenagers.
Low-Dose Atropine Eye Drops
Higher dose Atropine eye drops are used to enlarge the pupil and stop the eye’s focusing mechanism. In low doses, they have shown to be effective in myopia management with minimal side effects. Low-dose drops are typically used once a day, at night time.
Essilor® Stellest® Lenses
Essilor® Stellest® lenses are the first and only FDA market-authorized spectacle lens to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children. These lenses slowed myopia progression by 71% on average over 2 years and are a easy to use and proven way to help manage your child’s nearsightedness.
Compared to single vision lenses. Results from a prospective, randomized, double-masked, multicenter U.S. clinical trial in myopic children aged 6–12 years at initiation of treatment. Essilor International, data on file (2025).
