Myopia Management and Tests | Linklater & Warren

Controlling shortsightedness in Children

Myopia, or short-sightedness, affects vision by making distant objects appear blurry. Myopia typically begins in, and progresses throughout, childhood as the eye grows longer than normal. Whilst myopia may be considered an inconvenience, requiring glasses or contact lenses for clear vision, it is also associated with eye health risks. Higher levels of myopia increase the risk of conditions like retinal detachment, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, making early detection and proactive management to slow progression important to help protect eye health later in life.

Where can you access this service?

Myopia management and Myopia Progression assessments are available at all our branches. Explore the options available for myopia management below and see how early intervention can make a lasting difference in reducing future progression and reducing the risk of future eye conditions.

More information & pricing

A young lady resting her head on the headrest of a oct scan machine

The Myopia Progression Assessment

The Myopia Progression Assessment offers a thorough approach to assessing and tracking your child’s myopia. During the assessment, the optometrist will measure the length of the eye (axial length) and the curvature of the cornea. This data in addition to your child’s glasses prescription, ethnicity, age, and family history are analysed to predict likely future change and provide an estimate of your child’s likely prescription once they reach adulthood. Monitoring axial length also helps identify children who are not yet myopic but at high risk of becoming so.

The assessment includes personalised advice on slowing myopia progression through lifestyle adjustments and innovative treatments that are known to slow myopia progression in children.

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Myopia Management Treatment Options

There is no cure for myopia, even laser eye surgery does not change the eye’s length, meaning it doesn’t reduce the eye health risks associated with being shortsighted. However, there are treatments that can slow progression. Options include specially designed spectacle lenses, ortho-K contact lenses and dual-focus soft contact lenses which have been shown to reduce progression compared to standard glasses or contacts. Treatment plans can also include the prescribing of Ryjunea (low dose atropine), a medicated eye drop which has also been shown to slow progression.

The Optometrist will advise which treatment options are available to your child based on their prescription, lifestyle and other clinical features.

Innovative myopia management spectacle lens designs (e.g. MiYOSMART by Hoya and Stellest by Essilor) launched around 2018 and are known to slow myopia progression by around 60%. The lens designs alter how light hits the peripheral retina, helping to control myopia progression while providing clear vision at all distances. The lenses also offer scratch resistance, anti-reflection, UV protection and come in a photochromic option.

Coming soon… 2026 will see the launch of MiYOSMART IQ; a second generation myopia management spectacle lens. Recent studies have shown that 9 out of 10 wearers of MiYOSMART IQ showed no clinically significant myopia progression during the first 12 months of wear.

Specially designed soft lenses that use special optics to influence how light hits the peripheral retina, while still providing clear vision. These lenses slow progression by around 60%. These lenses are worn during the day and are made from the same materials as regular soft contact lenses. We offer three brands of soft, dual-focus contact lenses; MiSight 1 Day contact lenses, Naturalvue Multifocal 1 Day contact lenses and Mylo Monthly soft contact lenses.

Rigid contact lenses are worn overnight to gently reshape the front surface of the eye (the cornea). When removed in the morning, they provide clear vision throughout the day without the need for glasses or contact lenses. Ortho-K lenses also change how light focuses on the peripheral retina, slowing myopia progression. Studies report a 40-60% reduction in myopia progression with Ortho-K lenses.

A prescription-only eye drop containing 0.01% atropine. Ryjunea is used once daily before sleep and has been shown to slow progression by 30% when used with conventional glasses. The drops do not improve vision or replace the need for glasses or contact lenses. Treatment is usually continued for several years while the risk of progression remains high. Ryjunea is generally very well tolerated and can be used in conjunction with the myopia management glasses or contact lenses. Ryjunea is not available on the NHS but it can be obtained via a private prescription from one of our Independent Prescribing Optometrists during a Myopia Progression Assessment.

A shelf with neat rows of glasses laid out

Small girl doing eye test checking examination with female eye doctor in clinic

Optometrists recommendation & Pricing

Our Optometrists recommend a Myopia Progression Assessment to all newly diagnosed shortsighted children and those with a strong family history or who have been identified during their sight test as potentially being at high risk. The Myopia Progression Assessment costs £45 with no additional fee to existing Visionplan members.

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myopia management

Myopia: What Is It and Why Does It Matter If Children Become Shortsighted?

Myopia is becoming increasingly common worldwide and being myopic has the potential to affect a child's future eye health. It is important that parents of short-sighted children understand what myopia is and how it can be effectively managed in the modern world.

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Myopia Management FAQ’s

Below are some of our frequently asked questions about Myopia Management, please get in touch if you require any further information or support.

Research shows that how light hits the peripheral retina influences eye growth and myopia progression. In a normal eye, light focuses on the retina. In a myopic eye, light from the peripheral visual field focuses behind the retina, even when corrected with standard glasses or lenses. This drives eye growth and progression.

Children who spend more time outdoors in natural light are less likely to develop myopia, or if they do, their progression may be slower. The exact reason for this protective effect isn’t fully understood. Excessive time on near tasks (reading, screen use) may also increase myopia risk. We therefore recommend children spend at least 2 hours outdoors daily and limit time spent on near tasks. Genetics also play a role. Children with a myopic parent are at increased risk of becoming myopic, the risk increases further when both parents are myopic.

Myopia typically progresses through childhood and into early adulthood, with rates varying depending on individual risk factors. Extensive research has been carried out to look at the ‘natural progress’ of myopia when corrected with conventional glasses and how that is influenced by ethnicity, age at diagnosis, family history and other risk factors. Myopic children are encouraged to book a Myopia Progression Assessment with one of our optometrists to find out more.

No, the Lenstar machine is an optical biometer meaning it does not touch the eye and uses light to measure the length of the eye. The measurements are non-invasive but require the child to look steadily at a small red light for several seconds at a time whilst the measurement is being taken.

Whilst the light emitted from screens does not ‘damage’ our eyes we do know that excessive time spent on near tasks is associated with an increased risk of myopia. Because of the immersive nature of mobile devices children (and adults) tend to spend much longer looking at near than past generations would have done. Excessive time spent on mobile devices may also have the knock on effect of reducing the time spent outside. These features are thought to be why myopia is becoming more common with each passing generation.

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