Myopia Control for Kids in Boca Raton.
Slowing your child's nearsightedness, not just correcting it. Childhood myopia isn't just about needing glasses. Faster-progressing myopia increases lifelong eye disease risk. Evidence-based treatments can meaningfully slow it down.
Childhood Myopia Is Rising Fast, and Progression Matters
Myopia (nearsightedness) is now the most common eye condition in school-age children. By 2050, nearly half of the world's population is expected to be nearsighted. But it's not just about needing glasses earlier. The faster myopia progresses in childhood, the higher the lifelong risk of retinal detachment, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts later in life.
Standard glasses correct what your child sees today. Myopia management is different. It's about using evidence-based treatments to slow how fast their eyes are changing, so they end up less nearsighted as adults than they otherwise would have been.
Nearsightedness happens when the eyeball grows too long from front to back (or the cornea is shaped differently), so light focuses in front of the retina instead of on it.[1] That is why we measure eye length at every myopia visit.
Slows Progression, Not Just Symptoms
We're not just updating prescriptions. We're using evidence-based treatments to slow how fast your child's eyes are getting worse.
Lowers Long-Term Eye Disease Risk
High myopia significantly increases risk for retinal detachment, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts in adulthood. Slowing it down matters.
Better Than Standard Glasses Alone
Standard single-vision glasses correct vision but don't slow progression. Myopia management treatments do.
Works Best When Started Early
The earlier we start, the more progression we can prevent. If your child is between 6 and 16, this is the window.
Evidence-Based Approaches
MiSight 1 Day Contact Lenses
FDA-approved soft daily-disposable contact lenses, designed specifically for myopia control in children. In a 3-year clinical trial, MiSight slowed myopia progression by 59% [2]. Most kids handle daily contacts easily after a short fitting.
Orthokeratology (ortho-K)
Custom-designed rigid lenses your child wears overnight. They reshape the cornea while they sleep, so they can see clearly all day without glasses or contacts. Highly effective for myopia control, especially in active kids.
Low-Dose Atropine Eye Drops
A single eye drop at bedtime, every night. At low concentrations (0.01–0.05%), atropine has been shown in randomized trials to slow myopia progression [3].
Outdoor Time & Lifestyle
Children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to become nearsighted [1]. We coach families on how to integrate this, alongside reducing extended near work where possible.
Who Benefits Most From Myopia Management
- Children ages 6–16 with myopia (nearsightedness) that's progressing
- Children with one or both parents who are nearsighted
- Children with early-onset myopia (under age 9)
- Children whose prescription has changed significantly in the past year
- Active kids who would benefit from being glasses-free during the day (ortho-K)
The earlier we start, the more progression we can prevent. See when to start myopia management. But it's almost never too late to consider it if your child's prescription is still changing, even into the teen years.
A Typical Myopia Management Visit
The first visit is a comprehensive eye exam plus a myopia-specific assessment: we measure your child's current prescription, eye length (axial length), and overall ocular health. We review family history and lifestyle. Then we talk through which treatment options make sense for your specific child. See our breakdown of MiSight vs. ortho-K vs. atropine.
Follow-up visits happen every 6 months. We monitor progression carefully, checking prescription changes and axial length, and adjust the plan as needed. Most children stay on myopia management until their eyes stabilize in late teens or early twenties.
How Paying for Myopia Management Works
The first visit is a comprehensive exam that includes a myopia management consultation, and we bill it to your insurance. Treatment costs vary by approach:
- MiSight 1 day contact lenses: annual supply + fitting, varies by prescription
- Ortho-K: initial fitting + custom lenses + follow-up visits in a year-one package
- Low-dose atropine: compounded prescription, refilled monthly (used alongside daytime glasses)
Vision insurance may cover part of the contact lens portion (materials allowance + fitting benefit). Medical insurance does not currently cover myopia management. I go over the cost of each option with you before you decide. See insurance details →
Without insurance? Call us and we'll arrange a self-pay visit through our sister practice, Vision & Learning Center.
Myopia Management Questions
What age should my child start myopia control?
In my practice, children between about 6 and 16 with progressing nearsightedness are the main candidates, and the earlier we start, the more progression we can prevent. I especially want to see kids who became nearsighted before age 9 or who have a nearsighted parent. Teens can still benefit if their prescription is changing. Read when to start myopia management.
Does insurance cover myopia management?
Medical insurance does not currently cover myopia management. Vision insurance may cover part of the contact lens portion, such as a materials allowance and a fitting benefit. The first visit is a comprehensive exam that includes the myopia consultation, and we bill it to your insurance. Treatment costs depend on the approach you choose, and I go over them with you before you decide.
Which is better for my child: MiSight, ortho-K, or atropine?
There is no single best option for every child. MiSight is a soft daily contact lens worn during the day. Ortho-K is a custom rigid lens worn overnight, so your child sees clearly all day without glasses or contacts. Low-dose atropine is one drop at bedtime, used along with daytime glasses. I help you choose based on your child's age, prescription, and lifestyle. Compare MiSight vs. ortho-K vs. atropine.
How often are myopia management follow-up visits?
Follow-up visits happen every 6 months. At each one I check your child's prescription and measure the length of the eye (axial length) to see how well the treatment is working, then adjust the plan if needed. Most children stay on myopia management until their eyes stabilize in their late teens or early twenties.
Does myopia management cure nearsightedness?
No. Myopia management does not cure nearsightedness, and your child will still need the right correction to see clearly. The goal is to slow how fast their eyes are changing, so they end up less nearsighted as adults than they otherwise would have been. That matters because high myopia raises the lifelong risk of retinal detachment, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts.
Where This Information Comes From
- National Eye Institute: Nearsightedness (Myopia): eye grows too long from front to back, light focuses in front of the retina; children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to be nearsighted
- Chamberlain P, et al. A 3-year Randomized Clinical Trial of MiSight Lenses for Myopia Control. Optom Vis Sci. 2019: 59% less change in prescription than the control lens over 3 years
- Yam JC, et al. Low-Concentration Atropine for Myopia Progression (LAMP) Study. Ophthalmology. 2019: randomized trial of 0.05%, 0.025% and 0.01% atropine against placebo
Serving Boca Raton and Nearby Cities
We see patients for myopia control at our office at 1000 NW 9th Ct, Ste 203A, Boca Raton, FL 33486. Families also come to us from Delray Beach, Highland Beach, Boynton Beach, Deerfield Beach, Parkland, Coral Springs, and Pompano Beach. Directions from your city →
Schedule a Myopia Consultation
If your child's prescription has changed significantly, the next 12 months matter. Let's talk through the options.