Myopia - NECO Center for Eye Care

Stock image of child being examined by an optometrist

Myopia Control

To schedule an appointment in our Myopia Control Clinic, please contact the Specialty Clinic at our Commonwealth office by calling (617) 398-8531. Please note that comprehensive eye examination records and a history of dilation are required for scheduling a myopia control consult. You have the option to schedule the comprehensive eye exam in our Specialty Clinic, or have your doctor fax records from a recent eye exam to (617) 396-8517.

Myopia (nearsightedness) is an eye condition caused by excess growth and stretching at the back of the eye. Conventional eyeglasses and contact lenses can correct blurriness yet do not treat the progressive nature of myopia. The higher the myopia, the longer the eye, increasing the risk for complications that may cause irreversible severe vision loss. The sooner your child’s myopia is managed, the less the risk of developing ocular complications later in life.

Even one diopter less of myopia reduces the risk of myopic maculopathy by 40% and retinal detachment by 30%. The goal is to treat myopia, not just correct it.

At the Myopia Control Clinic, we utilize a research-based approach focused on more than just correcting myopia; we aim to treat it effectively. Our comprehensive myopia management service caters to children and young adults, providing personalized treatment plans based on their unique needs. Here’s what sets us apart:

Cutting-edge diagnostics: We use advanced non-contact biometric methods and OCT imaging to measure eye length precisely. This helps us evaluate treatment effectiveness and tailor solutions.

Customized treatment plans: We create individualized myopia management strategies based on family history, ocular characteristics, and lifestyle.

Evidence-based treatments: Our clinic stays at the forefront of myopia research. We offer treatment methods based on the latest laboratory and clinical research.

Outdoor time matters: Encouraging children to spend more time outdoors (about 2 hours daily) has been shown to slow myopia progression.

The following myopia control treatments are currently available at NECO Center for Eye Care:

Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) lenses,
FDA-approved multi-zone soft contact lenses (such as MiSight®)
Low-dose Atropine eye drops
Specially designed eyeglasses

Our doctors specialize in myopia control and have nearly two decades of experience. We lead the research and utilize innovative tools like MiSight® contact lenses. Our clinicians regularly present at international symposia on myopia prevention and treatment.

We invite you to contact us to schedule an appointment for a myopia control evaluation.

NECO’s Commitment to Myopia Research
New England College of Optometry has long been a leader in myopia research. The establishment of the Myopia Research Center in 1995 and the Correction of Myopia Evaluation Trial (COMET) established NECO as an international leader in basic and clinical eye research. COMET was the first NEI/NIH-sponsored clinical trial in optometry.

Today, NECO continues its myopia research in visual regulation of eye growth, treatments for children, and risk factors for the progression of myopia and is utilizing the findings of myopia research within the myopia control clinic.

At our NECO Children’s Vision Lab, researchers are seeking participants to help develop effective treatments for prevention and slowing down progression of myopia in multiple clinical trials using glasses (EUCALYPTUS study and FIN stuhttps://www.neco.edu/research-innovation/research/opportunities/dy) and soft contact lens (MiSight study – FDA clinical trial). If you are interested in participating in any of our studies, please email us or call (857) 357-4742. You may also reference our research studies website to learn about ongoing research studies seeking participants.