Myopia Control | Family Eye Clinic

Find Stability for Nearsighted Prescriptions with Myopia Control

If you wore glasses as a child, you might remember constantly needing a new prescription as your eyes worsened. Thanks to myopia control, your kids don’t need to go through that.

Kids, teens, and even college students who are nearsighted (myopic) tend to see their prescription worsen as time passes. For younger kids, this is related to the rapid growth of their eyes. Their eyes grow longer in an attempt to overcome the nearsightedness, but the elongation of the eye actually worsens their eyesight. For students in their teens and early 20s, long hours spent reading books or screens can worsen their prescription because their eyes are still developing.

Myopia control uses specialized contact lenses and medicated eye drops to “tell” the eye to stop growing longer, therefore preventing a young person’s vision from worsening as rapidly as it would without myopia control. Discover how we can create a personalized myopia control program tailored to your child, teenager, or young adult at Family Eye Clinic.

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Axial Length: Why Eye Size Matters for Nearsighted Kids

Axial length is closely tied to myopia, as an eye that grows longer typically leads to worsening nearsightedness and a higher risk of eye disease and vision loss later in life. Axial length refers to the size of the eye from front to back.

Measuring axial length is like creating a growth chart for your child’s eyes. It helps us track their myopia, monitor the success of their myopia control program, and compare their eye growth to non-nearsighted peers.

Axial measurement is a vital tool in our efforts to protect their vision and ensure their eye health stays on track. We measure their eyes with a quick, noninvasive scan as part of their eye exam.

Glasses Aren’t Enough: Protect Their Vision with Myopia Control & Outdoor Time

While glasses can help nearsighted kids see clearly, they don’t address the risks associated with myopia. Higher levels of myopia increase the likelihood of serious eye health issues later in life, such as glaucoma, retinal detachment, macular damage, and early cataracts. Though LASIK surgery can correct vision in adulthood, it doesn’t reduce the long-term risks tied to myopic progression.

One simple yet powerful way to help delay the onset of myopia in children is to spend time outdoors. Studies show that aiming for about 2 hours of outdoor time daily reduces the risk of developing myopia in the first place, and can slow the progression of nearsightedness in kids who already have it. It’s believed the bright outdoor light stimulates proper eye growth, regardless of the activity. Encourage outdoor play, and don’t forget sun protection with hats and sunglasses.

By combining lifestyle changes, such as outdoor time, with effective myopia control strategies, we can work to protect your child’s vision for today and the future.

How We Work to Slow Their Prescription Changes

We can easily determine if a child or adult is nearsighted in their comprehensive eye exam.

Annual eye exams are essential for school-age kids. Their eyes grow and change rapidly, and an eye exam allows us to catch these changes more quickly. If your child is already in a myopia control program, we may recommend a more frequent and personalized exam schedule.

For teens and young adults with myopia, we typically suggest annual eye exams to stay on top of any vision changes. We’ll advise on a personalized exam schedule if you’re undergoing myopia control.

Our evidence-based myopia control methods include:

MiSight 1 day: These daily disposable soft contacts have been proven to help reduce myopic progression by signalling to the eye to stop growing so fast. They also correct vision.
Biofinity Toric Multifocal: For patients with astigmatism, multifocal lenses have been shown to provide a myopia control effect while correcting vision.
Low-dose atropine eye drops: This low-concentration version of the same medicine used to dilate patients’ pupils in some eye exams has been shown to slow the progression of nearsightedness in kids. Atropine drops can be used in combination with myopia control contact lenses.

We’ll be happy to answer all your questions about the options available to you or your family member.

How Does Myopia Control Work for College Students?

Myopia control may also be beneficial for some young adults with progressing myopia.

While most people’s eyes stop growing around the end of the teenage years, some people experience vision changes into their early 20s. This is especially true for college students, such as those attending Central Washington University (go Wildcats!), who often spend long hours studying, reading, and using screens, with less time spent outdoors.

Extensive evidence shows that myopia control is highly effective in children. For young adults whose prescriptions haven’t stabilized, continuing a myopia control program can help protect their vision. Similarly, if you’re noticing new vision changes during college, starting a myopia control plan may prevent further progression and support your long-term eye health.

Whether you’re continuing a program or starting one for the first time, myopia control could make a meaningful difference during your college years. If you know a student experiencing vision changes, have them book an appointment with us to learn more.

Starting Myopia Control Now Can Have Decades of Benefit

Any amount of nearsightedness increases your risk of vision issues later in life. The bright side? It also means that any amount of myopia control can make a difference in your long-term vision health.

We’d love to answer your questions about myopia control and nearsightedness. Contact us by phone or schedule an appointment today.

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