Help Slow your Child’s Nearsighted Vision - with Contact Lenses or Glasses
Introduction
As a mother of two boys, I want to shout out to other moms and dads and let them know that nearsightedness in children is becoming more common — and that there’s something you can do about it today. You may not know what I’m talking about, and it’s possible that neither your pediatrician nor your eye doctor have discussed this with you.
Research shows that kids are becoming nearsighted at a younger age and their eyes are changing more quickly than in the past.1 Earlier onset and faster progression mean that your child may end up with a higher prescription, thicker glasses or stronger contact lenses and potential vision complications later in life.
Until recently, there was only one FDA-approved treatment option for slowing myopia progression: MiSight® 1 day contact lenses. Now there’s another exciting development — Stellest® spectacle lenses, the first FDA-approved glasses shown to slow myopia progression in children.
Read on to learn about what the research says, the treatment options available and how you can positively influence your child’s vision today and for years to come.
Correct Blurry Distance Vision Today and See More in the Future
Why haven’t I heard about managing my child’s nearsighted vision?
I consider myself a typical mom. I get my information from other moms, listen to podcasts, search on google, ask AI and talk to the pediatrician about health questions. I try to do the right thing for my children.
As mom of a nearsighted boy, I used to sit on the beach with binoculars, watching my ten-year old son surf, worried that he couldn’t see me on shore and wondering if he could see that big set of waves that were rolling towards him. I didn’t realize how fuzzy his vision was until I was in the optometrist’s office for an annual exam and he had trouble reading the bigger letters on the eye chart that were clear to me. His distance vision wasn’t great and each year it got worse. I didn’t know there was a way to slow it down.
I wasn't alone. When I spoke to another mom she said, “I’ve been taking my daughter to an optometrist for over 7 years and he has never mentioned options that do more than just correct her vision.”
The good news? That’s changing. As research expands and eye doctors see the benefits, more are educating families about myopia management — a new approach that treats nearsightedness rather than simply correcting it. In the past few years, awareness has grown rapidly: according to Jobson Optical Research, 64% of eye care practices now offer myopia management services 2, up from almost nothing four years ago.
If had known there was a way to keep my son’s vision from getting worse so fast, I would have done something. Thankfully, parents today have more choices — and more information — than ever before.
What options are available for my nearsighted child?
Today, treatment options for childhood myopia fall into two main categories:
- Behavioral: encouraging more outdoor time and taking regular breaks from screens and close-up work.
- Optical: special contact lenses or spectacle lenses designed to slow myopia progression.
Research over the past decade shows it’s possible to slow the progression of nearsightedness, resulting in a lower prescription and reduced long-term eye health risks.
MiSight®1 day: The only FDA-approved soft contact lens for myopia control
MiSight 1 day contact lenses are child-friendly daily disposable contact lenses proven to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment. In 2019, it became the first soft contact lens approved by the FDA approval to both correct distance vision and slow the progression of myopia in children. Over 200,000 children worldwide are wearing the lenses.
In clinical trials, Misight 1 day contact lenses slowed myopioa progression by 59% and eye growth by 52%.3 Children wearing MiSight experienced clear vision and the freedom from glasses to enjoy the their favorite activities5,9,10 from sports to school to time outdoors.
These lenses are worn during the day and thrown away at night - no cleaning, no storing, just fresh lenses every morning.
Stellest® Spectacle Lenses
Not every child is ready for contact lenses, and that’s perfectly okay. In 2025, the FDA approved Stelles spectacle lenses from EssilorLuxottica — glasses that look and feel like regular eyewear but are designed with a unique optical pattern (called HALT technology) that helps slow down how quickly the eye grows.
Clinical studies showed that Stellest™ lenses can slow myopia progression by up to 71% compared to single-vision lenses when worn at least 12 hours per day.4 They’re a great option for younger children or anyone not yet comfortable with contact lenses.
Now, parents and eye doctors can choose between two proven, FDA-approved treatments to help manage a child’s myopia — whether they prefer contacts or glasses.
Other Options
While there are currently two treatments approved for myopia control, peer-reviewed research shows evidence that multifocal contact lenses or orthokeratology (special night lenses) may help slow myopia progression. Although they don’t carry FDA indications for controlling myopia, studies have shown that they can reduce progression rates by 37–57%.7,8
What You Can Do Today
Don’t wait. If your child is nearsighted - or if you have a family history of myopia - here’s what you can do right now:
Schedule a comprehensive eye exam . Make sure the doctor prescribes myopia management options and remember to bring it up during your appointment.
Ask about FDA-approved treatments. Your doctor can help determine whether MiSight® 1 day contact lenses or Stellest™ spectacle lenses are the best fit for your child’s needs, lifestyle, and maturity level.
Spread the word. Tell other parents what you’ve learned — because the earlier myopia management begins, the better the long-term outcomes.
Many kids do wonderfully with contact lenses. If your child is ready, MiSight® 1 day provides clear vision and proven myopia control. If glasses are a better fit for now, Stellest™ lenses are another strong choice. Both options help protect your child’s vision for years to come.
Summary
Times have changed - and that’s great news for families.
Parents no longer have to simply watch their child’s prescription get stronger each year. Today, MiSight® 1 day contact lenses and Stellest™ spectacle lenses are both treatments proven to slow the progression of myopia in children.
If your child’s distance vision is blurry, don’t just correct it — manage it. Talk to your eye doctor about which option is right for your child and take the first step toward protecting their long-term eye health.
Sources:
1 Prevalence of Myopia: Holden BA, Fricke TR, Wilson DA et al. Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology. 2016; 123:1036-42.
22024 Jobson Optical Research. US Online Survey.
3Chamberlain P, Peixoto-De-Matos SC, Logan NS, Ngo C, Jones D, Young G. A 3-year Randomized Clinical Trial of MiSight Lenses for Myopia Control.Optom Vis Sci. 2019;96(8):556-567.
4 Lam CSY, Tang WC, Tse DY, et al. Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) Lenses Slow Myopia Progression in Hong Kong Chinese Children: A 2-Year Randomized Clinical Trial. Am J Ophthalmol. 2021;230:85–94.
5 Huang J, Wen D, Wang Q et al. Efficacy Comparison of 16 Interventions for Myopia Control in Children: A Network Meta-analysis. Ophthalmol. 2016;123(4):697-708.
6 Holden BA, Sankaridurg P, Lazon de la Jara P, et al. Reduction in the rate of progress of myopia with a contact lens designed to reduce relative peripheral hyperopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2010;51:E-Abstract 2220.
7 Walline JJ, Greiner KL, McVey ME, et al. Multifocal contact lens myopia control. Optom Vis Sci 2013;90:1207–1214.
8 Walline JJ, Walker MK, Mutti DO, et al. Effect of High Add Power, Medium Add Power, or Single-Vision Contact Lenses on Myopia Progression in Children: The BLINK Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2020;324(6):571–580. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.10834
9 Sulley A, et al. Wearer experience and subjective responses with dual focus compared to spherical, single vision soft contact lenses in children during a 3-year clinical trial. Poster presented at AAO 2019, San Francisco, Calif.
10 Chamberlain P, et al, Further comparison of myopia progression in new and established myopia control treatment (MiSight® 1 day) groups. Presentation at BCLA 2019, Manchester, England.
