Discover Myopia Control Treatments Through a Comprehensive Eye Exam
Accessible Eye Exams for Myopia Management:
Convenience Meets Cutting-Edge Vision Care
Without proactive management, Myopia can progress over time and increase the risk of serious eye conditions later in life.
The encouraging news: Several proven treatment options can slow progression significantly when started early.
The first step is a comprehensive eye exam
Assess risk and guide the right plan.
Protect your kids vision, ask our doctors about options to slow Myopia progression
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What is Myopia?
Myopia (Nearsightedness) is more than just blurry distance vision.
When it progresses, it increases lifetime risk of serious eye disease.
Dry eye, myopia, presbyopia, and early cataracts are among the most common vision problems affecting people of all ages, often developing gradually and interfering with daily comfort and clarity.
How Myopia Can Affect Your Child
Beyond blurry distance vision, uncorrected or progressing myopia can influence multiple areas of a child’s life:
- School performance: Difficulty seeing the board, reading materials, or screens from a distance can cause eye strain, headaches, reduced focus, and lower academic engagement.
- Emotional well-being: Children may feel frustrated, self-conscious about glasses, or withdraw from activities, affecting confidence and social interactions.
- Sports and play: Blurred distance vision and reduced depth perception can limit participation and enjoyment in sports, playground games, or other physical activities.
Long-Term Risks with Higher Myopia Prescriptions
Higher levels of myopia may increase the lifetime risk of serious, sight-threatening conditions such as cataracts and retinal detachments.
As the eye elongates, the retina stretches and becomes more vulnerable.
Regular monitoring helps catch progression early so management options can be discussed before complications develop.
Early Detection Starts with a Comprehensive Eye Exam
Many children adapt to blurry vision without complaining. A thorough eye exam detects myopia, tracks progression, and provides an accurate, up-to-date prescription.
Myopia in Today’s Youth
Nearsightedness, Its Rapid Rise, and Effects on School, Sports & Emotional Well-Being
Myopia, also called nearsightedness or shortsightedness, occurs when the eyeball grows longer than expected. Light focuses in front of the retina instead of directly on it, producing clear near vision but blurry distance vision. It commonly begins in childhood and often progresses during the school years.
The Rising Rates of Childhood Myopia
Myopia rates are increasing rapidly worldwide. Current projections suggest that around 50% of the global population could be affected by 2050.3 Lifestyle factors such as increased screen time and reduced outdoor activity are accelerating the trend, making early awareness essential for parents.4
The first step is a comprehensive eye exam to assess Myopia risk and guide the right plan.
Learn about key risk factors and why annual comprehensive eye exams help to mitigate Myopia and associated risks
Key Risk FactorsA major evidence-based advancement in myopia management.
Essilor Stellest® lensesEssilor Stellest® lenses are the first FDA-authorized spectacle lenses (September 2025) specifically indicated to correct myopia and slow its progression in children aged 6–12 at the start of treatment.
The First & Only FDA-Authorized Spectacle Lenses Proven to Slow Myopia Progression by 71%5
As part of myopia management, Essilor® Stellest® spectacle lenses are designed to both correct vision and help slow myopia progression in children.
Myopia control spectacle lenses can actually slow its progression. Our new specialized myopia management eye exam assesses your child’s eyes and determines if these advanced lenses are right for them, helping reduce the risk of higher prescriptions and long-term eye health complications later in life.
Advanced
Diagnostics.
Effortless Access.
We combine pioneering tele-optometry with state-of-the-art imaging so you can experience revolutionary digital eye exams with complete confidence and convenience.
True Walk-In Convenience
No appointment needed, Walk-Ins Welcome! Modern, efficient eye exams designed around your schedule.
High Definition Retinal Imaging
Detailed, high-resolution views of your retina and optic nerve, far beyond traditional exams, for precise assessments and peace of mind.
Live Slit-Lamp Video
Real-time anterior eye evaluation streamed directly to our remote optometrists for thorough, accurate assessments every time.
On-Demand Optometrist Access
The future of modern vision care is already here. Walk-in ready or available to schedule online in minutes.
Key Myopia Risk Factors in Children
Understanding what increases risk helps prioritize early action.
Genetic & Individual Factors Influencing Myopia
• One or both parents with Myopia
• Myopia onset before age 8–10
• Faster progression in the first year after diagnosis
• Certain ethnic backgrounds
The questions below will help determine your child’s risk of developing myopia or their myopia worsening quickly
1
Does your child already wear eyeglasses or contact lenses?
2
If your child has already been diagnosed with myopia, were they diagnosed before the age of 9?
3
Does the child’s parents wear eyeglasses or contact lenses for myopia?
4
Does your child spend less than 2 hours playing outdoors each day?
5
Does your child spend extended periods of time performing near tasks like reading and studying daily?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, your child may be at a higher risk of developing myopia
or experiencing worsening myopia as they grow older.
It Starts with a Comprehensive Eye Exam
Early detection gives you the greatest opportunity to slow progression. A comprehensive eye exam goes beyond a basic vision screening to evaluate refraction, eye health, and individual risk factors.
Slow Myopia Progression to Reduce Long-Term Eye Health Risks
When nearsightedness starts young, it frequently worsens faster and becomes more severe over time.
Environmental & Lifestyle Factors Influencing Myopia
Daily routines or habits often contributing to Myopia.
- Less than 2 hours outdoors daily
- Urban environments with intense academic demands
- High amounts of near work (screens, reading, homework)
- Skipping visual breaks (follow the 20-20-20 rule recommended by the Global Myopia Awareness Coalition)
Proven Myopia Treatment & Management Options
Standard single-vision glasses or contacts correct vision but do not slow progression.
Options to help slow Myopia (Nearsightedness) progression:
Contact Lenses²
Specialized myopia control contact lenses use advanced optics to slow eye elongation while providing clear, comfortable vision throughout the day.
Eyeglasses²
Modern myopia management eyeglasses with peripheral defocus technology help slow progression by altering how light focuses on the retina during everyday wear.
Eye Drops²
Low-dose atropine eye drops offer a simple, once-nightly pharmacological option clinically proven to significantly slow myopia progression with excellent safety and tolerability.
Essilor Stellest® lenses are the first FDA-authorized spectacle lenses (September 2025) specifically indicated to correct myopia and slow its progression in children aged 6–12 at the start of treatment. They represent a major evidence-based advancement in myopia management.
Essilor Stellest® Lenses (HALT Technology)
These advanced spectacle lenses correct vision while creating peripheral myopic defocus to help slow eye elongation. They are worn like regular glasses with excellent adaptation (most children adjust within days).
Myopia Contact Lenses that are non-invasive, easy for kids to wear, and highly relevant for optical partners and parents seeking proactive myopia management beyond standard single-vision lenses.²
Slow Progression.
Preserve Vision Potential.
H.A.L.T. (Highly Aspherical Lenslet Target). A central single-vision zone delivers clear distance correction.
This is surrounded by 11 concentric rings containing over 1,000 tiny aspherical lenslets that create a precise “volume of myopic defocus” signal in front of the retina.
This signals the eye to slow axial elongation without compromising central vision.
Learn More
Soft Myopia Contact Lenses²
Daily disposables shown to slow progression in studies
Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) – overnight lenses that reshape the cornea for clear daytime vision without glasses or contacts
Low-dose atropine eye drops² – often used alone or combined with other therapies for higher-risk cases. Typically applied daily before bedtime.
Common Questions
How Do They Work?
The lenslets send a specific optical signal that tells the eye to slow its elongation (the main driver of myopia progression).
Central vision remains clear and sharp for daily activities.
The defocus effect works continuously while the glasses are worn.
Effectiveness & Clinical Results
• Slows myopia progression by an average of 71% over 2 years (compared to single-vision lenses) when worn at least 12 hours per day.
• Slows axial eye elongation by an average of 53% over 2 years.
• Results are strongest when started earlier (ages 6–8 show particularly strong outcomes).
• Long-term data (up to 6 years) continues to show meaningful reduction in progression.
Who Are They For?
• FDA-authorized for children ages 6–12 at the start of treatment.
• Indicated for myopia between -0.75D and -4.50D with astigmatism up to 1.50D.
• Best suited for children with progressing myopia who want a non-invasive, glasses-based solution (good alternative or complement to contacts or atropine).
Wear Time & Daily Use
• Recommended minimum: 10–12 hours per day, at least 6 days per week.
• Maximum benefit comes from consistent, full-time wear.
• The lenses look like normal glasses — the lenslets are nearly invisible in everyday use.
Safety, Comfort & Adaptation
• No serious adverse events reported in clinical trials.
• Most children adapt within a few days to one week.
• Generally very well tolerated with excellent visual performance and comfort for all-day wear.
• Safe for sports and active lifestyles.
Comparison to Other Options
• Vs. single vision glasses: Stellest both corrects and slows progression; regular glasses only correct.
• Vs. MiSight contact lenses: Stellest is a glasses-based option (easier compliance for some children and parents).
• Vs. atropine drops: Stellest offers a non-pharmacological option with strong evidence.
• Both Stellest and MiYOSMART are effective spectacle options; Stellest currently holds the distinction of being the first FDA-authorized lens in the U.S.
Practical Considerations
Available in the United States following FDA market authorization in 2025.
Typically more expensive than standard lenses (cost varies by prescription, frames, and provider).
Vision insurance may offer partial coverage depending on the plan.
Requires regular follow-up eye exams to monitor progression and update prescriptions.
The best option depends on your child’s age, prescription, lifestyle, and rate of progression. Only a comprehensive eye exam can determine the right approach and allow proper monitoring.
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COMMON EYE CONDITIONSReferences
- Martínez-Albert N, Bueno-Gimeno I, Gené-Sampedro A. Risk factors for myopia: A Review. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2023;12(18): ( https://iovs.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2772540 )
- Eppenberger LS, Grzybowski A, Schmetterer L, Ang M. Myopia Control: Are We Ready for an Evidence Based Approach?. Ophthalmol Ther. 2024;13(6): ( https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/aos.13964 )
- Biswas, S., El Kareh, A., Qureshi, M. et al. The influence of the environment and lifestyle on myopia. J Physiol Anthropol 43, 7 (2024)
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40101-024-00354-7 - . Sankaridurg P, Tahhan N, Kandel H, Naduvilath T, Zou H, Frick KD, et al. IMI impact of myopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2021;62(5):2
https://iovs.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2772540 - FDA Authorizes Marketing of First Eye Glass Lenses to Slow Progression of Pediatric Myopia
( https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-authorizes-marketing-first-eyeglass-lenses-slow-progression-pediatric-myopia )