The Case for Lens Treatments in the Control of Myopia Progression

Myopia is on the rise in the United States and around the world, and with its progression comes increasing risk of a wide variety of associated vision-threatening conditions. Fortunately, several evidence-based treatments for myopia control are currently available and show promise. Basic research on the visual control of eye growth and the development of refractive state is being successfully translated to clinical studies on lens and drug treatments, and patients are already benefiting. Evidence-based practice is transforming the clinical care for myopia from correction to treatment. In this commentary on the role of lens treatments for myopia control from the 15th International Myopia Conference, the author considers bifocals, progressive addition lenses, multifocal contact lenses, and orthokeratology to make the case that lens treatments, particularly using multifocal contact lenses, are effective for myopia control and should be considered as a first-line treatment. A number of areas for further research and treatment optimization are also identified.