Four options
Myopia control options and their FDA status
Choose a tab to read about one. Results vary, and the doctor explains the risks of each before you decide.
Dual-focus daily contact lenses
Soft lenses worn in the day and thrown away at night. Zones of different focus across the lens are designed to slow eye growth. FDA-approved for children 8 to 12 at the start of treatment. Results vary.
Needs a fitting visit and a lens handling lesson
Child and parent both learn insertion and removal
Checked at each visit
Myopia-control eyeglass lenses
Glasses whose lenses change the focus toward the edges. The FDA authorized one lens design in 2025 for children 6 to 12 at the start of treatment. Results vary.
No contact lens handling
A choice when lenses or drops do not suit a child
Needs a measured fit
Overnight lenses (orthokeratology)
Firm lenses worn during sleep that reshape the front of the eye. They are approved for temporary correction of nearsightedness. Using them to slow myopia is off-label. Results vary.
A higher risk of eye infection than daytime lenses
Strict cleaning every night
Regular checks
Low-dose atropine eye drops
A very dilute dilating drop given at bedtime. No low-dose atropine drop is FDA-approved for myopia in the US. It is prescribed off-label and made by a compounding pharmacy. Results vary.
Can cause light sensitivity and blurry near vision
Response is checked at each visit
Prescribed after the evaluation
Why results vary
Two children can use the same option and see different results. Age, how fast the eyes were growing, how well the option is used and time outdoors all play a part, and no one can say in advance how an eye will respond.
That is why the log matters. At each visit we measure again, set the numbers beside the earlier ones and talk about whether to keep, change or stop an option. Ask us what is known, and what is not.
- 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
What does off-label mean?
The FDA approved the product for something else, and a doctor prescribes it for myopia on the strength of the research. The doctor explains what is known.
Are standard glasses or contact lenses a choice?
Yes. For some families it is the right one. We keep measuring at every visit either way.
Can an option be stopped?
Yes, at any visit. The doctor explains what to expect.
How much will this cost?
It depends on the visit and on your plan. How fees work explains which part a vision plan pays, which part medical insurance pays and what you pay yourself, and we give a written estimate in advance.
Book a myopia evaluation
Bring your questions about any option.