Myopia Progression Checklist

Is your child’s nearsightedness getting worse?

Childhood myopia, or nearsightedness, is more common today than ever before; and it’s progressing faster in many children due to increased screen time, limited outdoor activities, and genetic factors. While myopia may seem like a simple vision problem that glasses or contacts can “fix,” the truth is that unchecked progression can significantly increase your child’s risk of serious eye diseases later in life, including glaucoma, retinal detachment, and macular degeneration.

That’s why it’s so important for parents to actively monitor their child’s vision health and take early action when signs of progression appear. This checklist is designed to help you spot red flags, track changes in your child’s eyesight, and open the door to conversations with an eye care professional about treatment options that go beyond standard glasses.

Welcome

Is your child's vision at risk?

A 60-second check for parents. Get a personalized risk profile and science-backed next steps.

Not a medical diagnosis · Informational only

GOLDEN VISION

OPTOMETRY

Child Myopia Risk Report

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Your Child's Myopia Risk Profile

Based on the answers you provided, here is a personalized risk assessment and what we recommend doing next. This report is informational and not a medical diagnosis — only an eye care professional can evaluate your child's vision.

RISK LEVEL

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Top Contributing Factors

Recommendation

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Ready to take the next step? Book a myopia control consultation at the Golden Vision location nearest you. Visit goldenvision2020.com or use our location finder to find an office and schedule an appointment.

GOLDEN VISION

OPTOMETRY

Understanding Myopia

Understanding Childhood Myopia

What is myopia?

Myopia (nearsightedness) is a vision condition in which distant objects appear blurry while near objects can still be seen clearly. It happens when the eyeball grows slightly too long, causing light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it.

Why childhood myopia matters

Myopia is now more common, and progressing faster, than ever before — a shift linked to rising screen time, reduced outdoor play, and genetics. Mild myopia is easily corrected with glasses or contacts, but unchecked progression can significantly increase your child's lifetime risk of serious eye diseases, including glaucoma, retinal detachment, myopic maculopathy, and early cataracts.

The fastest rates of myopia progression typically occur between ages 8 and 11. Children who enter this window with any level of nearsightedness, or with elevated risk factors, benefit the most from active monitoring and early intervention.

Key risk factors

Age: Peak progression occurs between 8 and 11. Earlier onset typically leads to higher final prescription.
Family history: One nearsighted parent roughly doubles risk; two nearsighted parents can multiply risk 5–6x.
Screen time: More than 2 hours per day of sustained near-work is associated with faster progression.
Outdoor time: Less than 2 hours outdoors per day removes one of the most strongly protective factors against myopia onset and progression.
Progression history: A prescription that changes twice or more in 18 months is a strong indicator of active progression.

Why early intervention matters

Standard single-vision glasses or contacts correct today's vision but do nothing to slow how myopia worsens over time. Myopia control treatments are a different approach: they are designed to slow — and in some children stop — progression, reducing the risk of high myopia and its associated complications in adulthood. The earlier these treatments begin, the greater their long-term protective effect.

GOLDEN VISION

OPTOMETRY

Myopia Control at Golden Vision

Myopia Control Treatments

Golden Vision specializes in advanced myopia management for children. We offer every major evidence-based treatment and help you choose the approach that best fits your child's age, prescription, lifestyle, and comfort.

FEATURED TREATMENT

Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)

Ortho-K lenses are custom-fit contact lenses worn only overnight. While your child sleeps, the lenses gently and temporarily reshape the front surface of the eye. In the morning the lenses come out, and your child can see clearly all day — no glasses, no daytime contacts.

Why Ortho-K is widely considered a gold-standard myopia control treatment:

Proven to slow myopia progression in multiple long-term clinical studies.
No daytime correction needed — ideal for active kids, sports, swimming.
Fully reversible — if you stop wearing the lenses, your eyes return to baseline. No surgery, no permanent changes.
Safe for children — Ortho-K has decades of clinical use and a strong safety record when fit by a qualified specialist.

A typical Ortho-K fitting at Golden Vision includes a specialty contact-lens exam, corneal topography imaging, custom lens design, an overnight trial, and follow-up visits to ensure a perfect fit. Our optometrists have extensive experience fitting Ortho-K for children as young as six.

Other Myopia Control Options

Low-Dose Atropine Eye Drops

A once-nightly eye drop shown in clinical trials to slow myopia progression. Easy to administer, well-tolerated, and often used as a first-line option for younger children or those not yet ready for contact lenses.

MiSight & ACUVUE Abiliti

FDA-approved daily disposable soft contact lenses designed specifically for myopia control in children. Worn during the day like standard contacts, with simultaneous correction and progression-slowing optical design.

Specialty Myopia-Control Spectacles

New-generation lens designs (e.g., HOYA MiYOSMART) that correct vision and slow axial elongation. A great option for families who prefer glasses over contacts or drops.

Lifestyle & Habit Coaching

We work with parents on screen-time structure, reading habits, outdoor-time targets, and follow-up monitoring. These non-clinical changes meaningfully amplify the effect of any treatment.

Find Your Nearest Golden Vision Location

Call directly to reach any of our nine California offices, or scan the QR code to open our location finder and book online.

Arcadia(626) 631-4910

Cupertino(408) 419-9955

Dublin(925) 967-9980

Irvine(949) 668-0030

Milpitas(408) 430-5660

Rowland Heights(626) 956-3505

San Diego Plaza(858) 867-3930

San Francisco(415) 413-5330

San Gabriel(626) 910-5116

Scan to book online

At-Home Observation Questions (click all that apply)

My child squints, rubs their eyes, or complains of blurry distance vision.
They hold books, screens, or homework very close to their face.
They spend more than 2 hours per day on phones, tablets, or computers.
They rarely play outdoors for 60+ minutes daily.
Their glasses prescription has changed more than once in the past 18 months.
They tilt or turn their head when watching TV or reading.
They often complain of headaches or tired eyes after schoolwork.

Risk Factors (click all that apply)

What Your Score Means

0–1 checks: Keep encouraging outdoor play and healthy screen habits. Monitor with yearly exams.
2–3 checks: Your child may be at risk for progression. Consider a specialized myopia control evaluation.
4+ checks: High likelihood of progressive myopia. Early treatment can slow or even stop worsening vision.

At Golden Vision, we specialize in advanced myopia management treatments that can slow or even stop the progression of nearsightedness in children. If your child shows one or more of the signs listed above, don’t wait. Early intervention makes all the difference.

Schedule an appointment at one of our convenient Golden Vision locations today to learn more about personalized myopia control solutions for your child.