Your child puts on their first glasses and can finally see the board. Those glasses correct the blur. If their short-sightedness, also called myopia, increases as they grow, your optometrist can talk you through ways to help slow that change and check how their eyes are developing.

What is Myopia

Myopia is the medical term for short-sightedness: distant objects appear blurred. It often develops during childhood and can become stronger as a child grows. Family history can increase the likelihood of developing it.

What the Myopia Focus survey found

In 2024, Myopia Focus surveyed 200 UK parents or carers of children under 16 through an online panel. Of those, 81 reported having a child diagnosed with myopia. The figures below describe this group of respondents. [6]

· 97% recognised short-sightedness or near-sightedness, while 35% had never heard the term myopia.
· 81% were unaware of myopia management and 82% were unaware that treatments could help slow progression.
· Among parents of children with myopia, 70% had never heard of myopia management and 58% recalled receiving no specific advice about it.
· Among parents who knew about myopia management, 72% said they learned about it from their optometrist.

A separate Boots Opticians survey of 2,000 UK parents, reported by Myopia Focus, found that 29% regularly thought about their child’s eyesight and 59% frequently considered screen time. After hearing that specialist lenses could help slow progression, 71% said they would consider them. This measured willingness to consider lenses. [7]

Things to look out for as a parent

Signs can include difficulty seeing the school board, sitting close to a television, holding a device close, headaches or frequent eye rubbing. These signs can have other causes too, so an eye examination is the right starting point.

Questions to ask your optician

· Has my child’s prescription changed since their last eye test, and how quickly?
· Which options suit my child’s age, prescription and everyday activities?
· What benefit can we realistically expect from this particular lens or treatment?
· How often should my child wear the lenses, and what will you measure at follow-up?
· When should we return, and what will appointments, lenses and replacements cost?
· Is there anything further, as a parent, I could be doing for my child to slow down progression?

How Insight MyoControl and Tokai Myogen can help

Insight MyoControl gives children a sharp and comfortable vision through the central zone of their prescription lens. The surrounding area changes how light focuses towards the edges of the retina. The design is intended to help slow myopia progression by providing a concentric power distribution that homogenously stimulates he peripheral retina; the area the cells that control myopia development are located.

Tokai Myogen uses a honeycomb pattern around a clear central zone. In a 12-month randomised trial in China, children wearing Myogen had an average prescription change of −0.80 D compared with −1.06 D in standard single-vision lenses. Their eyes also grew 0.12 mm less on average. The study was supported by Tokai. These averages describe the study groups over one year and individual results can vary. [3, 4]

Fitting and ordering

For Insight MyoControl, send the full prescription, monocular PDs, fitting heights and frame dimensions or trace. Adjust the frame on the child before measuring optical centres. Blue MAR coating is available to assist further with screen glare.

For Tokai Myogen, align the 9 mm clear zone with the pupil centres and allow 18 mm above and below the optical centre to retain the defocus area. Tokai advises against driving in Myogen lenses. [5]

Contact Insight Lenses on 01476 575613 or enquiries@insightlenses.com to check the lens and frame combination for your next dispense.

Insight MyoControl availability

Sphere range of −30.00 to +25.00 D. Polarised colours are grey, brown and G-15, with grey only in 1.74. In 1.74, Transitions, Transitions UV420++ Protect 

Tokai Myogen availability

Sources

[1] College of Optometrists. Assessing and managing children with myopia. https://www.college-optometrists.org/clinical-guidance/guidance/knowledge%2C-skills-and-performance/assessing-and-managing-children-with-myopia

[2] Association of Optometrists. Myopia management in clinical practice. https://www.aop.org.uk/advice-and-support/clinical/scope-of-practice/myopia-management-in-clinical-practice4–7.

[3] Tokai Optical. Myogen. https://www.tokaiopt.com/en/product/myogen/

[4] Han X et al. Ophthalmology Science. 2026, 6(1), 100940. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xops.2025.100940

[5] Tokai Lens Studio. MyoGen dispensing guidance. 1 November 2025, p. 55.

[6] Myopia Focus. 2024 Survey Report on UK Parental Awareness and Attitudes. https://www.myopiafocus.org/awareness

[7] Myopia Focus. The myopia message is not getting through. https://www.myopiafocus.org/post/the-myopia-message-is-not-getting-through-it-is-time-for-the-industry-to-speak-with-one-voice