What is Myopia Control and Why is it Important?

Written By Mark Paul Paroli

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is one of the most common vision problems in children and young adults today. It means that distant objects appear blurry, while close objects are seen clearly. But myopia is more than just needing glasses to see the board at school — it’s a condition that can progress over time and increase the risk of serious eye diseases later in life.

That’s where myopia control comes in.

What is Myopia Control?

Myopia control refers to a range of specialized treatments designed to slow down the progression of myopia in children and teenagers. Instead of simply correcting blurry vision with standard eyeglasses or contact lenses, myopia control aims to manage how fast the eye is growing, to help protect long-term eye health.

Evidence-based myopia control options include:

  • Orthokeratology (Ortho-K): Special custom contact lenses worn overnight that gently reshape the cornea to correct vision and help slow myopia progression.

  • Specialty Soft Contact Lenses: Such as dual-focus or multifocal lenses designed to create a treatment effect on eye growth.

  • Spectacle Lenses: New-generation myopia control glasses, such as Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) lenses or other similar technologies.

  • Low-Dose Atropine Eye Drops: A safe, low-concentration medication used to help slow the eye’s axial growth.

Each of these methods is supported by strong scientific research and clinical guidelines, including those from the International Myopia Institute (IMI, 2019, 2021) and recent published studies on PubMed.

Why is Myopia Control Important?

In the past, myopia was often viewed as a minor inconvenience, just a refractive error corrected with glasses. But research now shows that progressive myopia is linked to higher risks of serious eye diseases in adulthood, such as:

  • Retinal detachment

  • Myopic macular degeneration

  • Glaucoma

  • Cataracts

The higher the level of myopia, the greater these risks become, and even a reduction of 1 diopter of myopia progression can significantly lower the likelihood of future eye disease (IMI, 2021).

Additionally:
✅ Children’s eyes grow rapidly — myopia can progress quickly without proper management
✅ Early intervention is key — the younger a child starts myopia control, the better the outcomes
✅ Protecting long-term vision — myopia control helps preserve clear vision and eye health for life

Who Should Consider Myopia Control?

If your child:

  • Has been diagnosed with myopia

  • Has parents or close family members with myopia

  • Is showing signs of rapid progression (higher prescription changes every year)

  • Spends lots of time on near work (screen time, reading) and limited outdoor time

Then a comprehensive myopia management plan is highly recommended.

Final Thoughts

Myopia is a growing public health concern worldwide — it’s predicted that by 2050, nearly half the world’s population will be myopic (Holden et al., 2016). Fortunately, we now have scientifically proven ways to slow it down and protect our children’s future eye health.

If you’d like to learn more about which myopia control options may be right for your child, schedule a myopia management consultation with our clinic today.

Your child’s clear vision — today and tomorrow — is worth it. 💙

Mark Paul Paroli