Myopia Control – Slowing The Progression of Nearsightedness

Nearsightedness treatments available include MiSight® Contact Lenses, Essilor® Stellest® spectacle lenses, dilute atropine, and more to come.You can help slow your child’s myopia progression by requesting an appointment online today. Myopia, commonly called nearsightedness, is very common in children and is the most common human eye disorder in the world. From birth to puberty, the length of the eye increases significantly, with a tendency to become more myopic over this period of time. There is a natural “growth curve” for the eye, allowing us to predict which patients are at risk for clinically significant myopia, even as an infant.

Over the last 2 decades, pediatric ophthalmologists have witnessed a change in this “growth curve”, with children becoming more myopic at a faster rate and to a greater ultimate degree. This is called “abnormal myopic progression”. There are many theories as to why this is happening across the world, with the most likely etiology being sustained accommodation with near work, such as using an ipad or reading for long periods of time without breaks.

While nearsightedness itself is not dangerous, those with progressive myopia or myopic prescriptions over 6 diopters are at risk factor for vision-threatening conditions, including retinal tears and detachments.

Treatment Can Slow Myopia Progression

Fortunately, there are now potential treatment options to prevent progressive myopia. At Pediatric Eye Consultants of North Florida, we are at the forefront of new ways to combat this disease, and offer a number of options, tailored to you and your child’s needs.

If your child is having trouble seeing the board at school or noticing details at a distance, we encourage you to request an appointment online and we will get in touch to schedule your appointment as quickly as possible.
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Myopia Treatment Options:

MiSight® Contact Lenses

MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses are specifically designed for myopia control and FDA approved to slow the progression of myopia in children ages 8-12 at the initiation of treatment. On average, age-appropriate children wearing MiSight® 1 day contact lenses progressed less than -1.00D over 6 years. Children as young as 8 years old can confidently apply and remove MiSight® 1 day lenses on their own.

Essilor® Stellest® Lenses

Essilor® Stellest® lenses are the first and only FDA market authorized spectacle lens to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children, and are effective with up to 4 diopters of astigmatism. On average, Essilor® Stellest® lenses slowed myopia progression by 71% over 2 years.

Low Dose Atropine for Myopia Control

Low-dose atropine eye drops are a safe and well-studied treatment used to help slow the progression of myopia in children. The drops are used once daily, typically at bedtime, and contain a very small concentration of atropine – much lower than the strength traditionally used for eye exams. At this low dose, atropine works to slow excessive eye growth, which is the main cause of worsening nearsightedness in childhood. By reducing how quickly myopia progresses, low-dose atropine can help lower the risk of developing higher levels of nearsightedness later in life.

  • No clinically significant visual side effects
  • 50% reduction in myopia progression over 2 years
  • Younger children (ages 6-8) likely need over 2 years of treatment
  • Low incidence of light sensitivity and blurring at near
  • No bifocals needed
  • Off-label use (although dilute atropine has been well-studied, an FDA study and approval has not been done)
  • Insurance may not cover and not commercially available

Coming Soon:

  • MyoPro® Spectacle Lens:* MyoPro® is designed with an innovative myopia management technology called H.O.R.I. Hexagon Optimized Reticular Integration (HORI) featuring 540 hexagonal lenslets that are embedded onto the lenses within the 35mm area, forming an unprecedented tight and seamless integrated reticular array.
    * FDA approval not yet received

We carefully monitor each child’s vision and eye growth over time and tailor treatment based on age, rate of progression, and individual response. Our goal is to slow myopia progression safely and effectively, helping protect your child’s long-term eye health.