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80%
OF LEARNING
IS VISUAL

80%
OF LEARNING
IS VISUAL


  • ~50% of the worlds population will be myopic by 2050 (that's ~4.8 billion people)1
  • 1 in 2 children worldwide will be nearsighted2
  • Early myopia treatment can help slow it down3

With the early and heavy use of digital screens, children are developing myopia at a much younger age—but EARLY TREATMENT can decrease the damage caused by myopia.

CLEAR VISION MATTERS. EYECARE MATTERS.

Home » Eye Care Services » Myopia Management

A Message From Your Doctor

What Is Myopia? (Nearsightedness)4


Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is a condition where the eye is too long, causing distant objects to appear blurry. It typically begins in childhood and tends to worsen each year, especially between the ages of 6 and 17.

As myopia progresses, so does the risk of serious eye diseases later in life. High myopia is associated with a higher risk of retinal detachment, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and other long-term vision issues.

Specialized myopia control glasses and contact lenses have been developed to control the progression of this refractive error. Our goal is to ensure that your children grow up with a lower prescription, and reduce the risk of long term vision issues.

Schedule An Eye Exam Today

3800 N Fairfax Dr, Suite 1
Arlington, VA 22203
Hours:
  • 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
  • 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
  • 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
  • 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Closed
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boy at home and playing with tablet


Is your child:

  • Squinting
  • Holding objects close to their face
  • Complaining about headaches
brunette girl wearing glasses doing homework on her bed

Our Myopia Solutions


Glasses
eye-drop Eye Drops
Contact Lenses
schoolboy wearing glasses and backpack


Myopia affects about:

  • 5% of preschoolers
  • 9% of school aged children
  • 30% of teens

Warning Signs Of Myopia In Children:5


  • Squinting to see distant objects
  • Sitting too close to the TV
  • Holding books or screens very close to their face
  • Frequent headaches or eye rubbing
  • Difficulty seeing the board at school
  • Trouble seeing clearly (or well) during sport activities

Early detection and monitoring eye health through annual exams is critical to a clear and healthy future.

A brighter future starts with myopia management now!

Other Ways To Keep Your Child's Eyes Healthy:7


computer-eye Limit screen time to 2 hours per day
Encourage 60–80 min. of daily outdoor play
clock-time Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds
glasses7 Eyeglasses, contact lenses, drops & lifestyle changes

Personalized Myopia Solutions at Virginia Vision


sunglasses1-light

Myopia Control Glasses - Essilor® Stellest® lenses

The Stellest® lenses, often our first choice in myopia treatment, are specifically designed to slow the progressions of myopia in children. Wearing Stellest® lenses for 10 consecutive hours daily reduces changes in nearsightedness by actually slowing the growth of the eyeball.

Stellest® lenses provide the child with detailed distance vision but reduce the strain of focusing by employing a process called "peripheral defocus."

ADDITIONAL LENS DETAILS:

  • Non- Invasive, easy to wear
  • Corrects myopia with single vision zone to ensure sharp vision
  • Essilor® Stellest® lenses are the first and only FDA market authorized to slow myopia progression in children.

MiSight® Contact Lenses

These innovative soft contact lenses feature two specialized zones that provide clear 20/20 vision while defocusing peripheral light to help slow the eye’s growth— a key factor in the progression of myopia.

ADDITIONAL LENS DETAILS:

  • Designed for daily wear; convenient, comfortable, and disposable
  • The only contact lenses FDA-approved to slow myopia progression
  • Can be prescribed for children as young as six years old
dry-eye-dropper-light

Atropine Drops

Low-concentration atropine drops have been shown to significantly slow the progression of near-sightedness by up to 50%. The drops cause minimal pupil dilation without affecting vision, which helps reduce focusing stress. Recent studies also indicate that these drops slow the elongation of the eye.

ADDITIONAL LENS DETAILS:

  • Typically used during a child’s growing years
  • Drops are applied to both eyes each night before bedtime
  • May be used as a supplemental therapy alongside other treatments

Ortho-k Contact Lenses

Ortho-Keratology (Ortho-k) contact lenses are gas-permeable lenses that gently reshape the cornea while your child sleeps, helping reduce their need for distance glasses. When the lenses are removed in the morning, their myopia is temporarily corrected.

ADDITIONAL LENS DETAILS:

  • Lenses must be worn every night to maintain effect and control myopia
  • If treatment is discontinued, the myopia will gradually return to its original level

The Data on Myopia in Children

DID YOU KNOW?

Myopia (nearsightedness) is when distant objects appear blurry.

  • ~50% of the worlds population will be myopic by 2050
    (that's ~4.8 billion people)1
  • Myopia affects about:6
    • 5% of preschoolers
    • 9% of school aged children
    • 30% of teens

Studies indicate over 50% of "learning problems" in school may be actually related to undiagnosed vision issues. That means many children are not getting the vision care they need to do well in school.8

  • The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared myopia a public health concern, urging early intervention.
Myopia Management Data

Sources:
  1. Holden et al. 2016 [bhvi.org], [iapb.org]
  2. BJO meta‑analysis2024 [medicalxpress.com], [ophthalmol…ngnews.com]
  3. AAO 2024 [aao.org]
  4. American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and National Eye Institute (NEI)
  5. American Optometric Association (AOA) and American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
  6. HealthyChildren.org [healthychildren.org]
  7. American Academy of Pediatrics, Canadian Association of Optometrists, American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and World Council of Optometry
  8. Visual Learning & Vision Therapy Centers [vlca.com], [thevisiont…center.com]