If your child needs glasses for nearsightedness — myopia — most eye doctors will give them a stronger prescription each year and call it a day. We do something different at PVC, because the prescription is not the problem. The problem is that the eye is getting longer year over year, and that elongation increases the lifetime risk of retinal detachment, glaucoma, and macular degeneration.
Why progression matters
Myopia in childhood means a longer eyeball as an adult. Longer eyeballs have stretched retinas. Stretched retinas tear and detach more easily. The higher the myopia, the higher the lifetime risk. -6.00 diopters and above (high myopia) carries 5-10x the risk of retinal complications.
What slows it down
Ortho-K (orthokeratology). Custom-fit gas-permeable contact lenses worn overnight that gently reshape the cornea. Your child sleeps in them, takes them out in the morning, and sees clearly all day without glasses or contacts. Slows myopia progression by 30–50%. FDA approved.
Atropine eye drops. Low-dose atropine drops nightly. Dilates the pupil very slightly and slows the elongation signal. Slows progression by 50–60%. Easy to use, very safe, used worldwide.
Multifocal soft contact lenses. Daily-wear soft contacts with a special peripheral defocus design. Slows progression by 25–50%.
When to start
Sooner the better. If your child is between 6 and 14 and their prescription has changed in the last year, they are a candidate. We have parents bring kids in as young as 5 if myopia is already showing up.
Learn more about myopia management at PVC or book a consultation.