Can special eye drops and contact lenses slowdown myopia?

[Anonymous]

There is a place that is selling a treatment to slow down the deterioration of myopia in kids. Has anybody tried this? Is this legit? It costs $4K for this one year treatment. It was a referral from an optometrist. I wanted to get an ophthalmologist’s opinion on this but the office said the doctor would not see us and referred us to their own optometrist. I want to know if this is a medically legitimate treatment from a MD rather than an optometrist.

[Anonymous]

My children are both on atropine eye drops to slow myopia which may be what you're referring to. Both were seen at our local children's hospital (we are not in DC but another large city with an excellent kids' hospital). The pediatric ophthalmologist recommended the drops, first for one child, then a couple years later for the younger one when it was clear their eyes were following a similar rapidly progressing path. For both of them, the drops have been great. Neither child's eyes have progressed since starting them (though kid 2 hasn't been on them for very long), but I don't think they work quite this well for everyone. I would definitely recommend seeing a pediatric ophthalmologist before going down this path; just make an appointment with one at your local children's hospital. $4K per year is thousands more than we pay though the drops are not covered by our insurance. And depending on the age of your child the drops are recommended for far more than a year. We were told until age 16-18.

[Anonymous]

We are using the multi-focal daily lens for myopia control. We have had very good success. My oldest has been wearing contacts for 4 years now. When we started, she was 2.50 and she is now at 4.0. Both my DH and I are -11. Keep in mind, it doesn't stop myopia, just slows it down.

$4k seems like a lot. We are in VA and pay $950 for a year of treatment. This includes 4 visits and a years worth of contacts.

My youngest is also getting the same treatment, but we might need to switch lenses. The newer lenses are more expensive, almost double the cost. So, if we go this route, it will go up, but still not up to $4k a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are using the multi-focal daily lens for myopia control. We have had very good success. My oldest has been wearing contacts for 4 years now. When we started, she was 2.50 and she is now at 4.0. Both my DH and I are -11. Keep in mind, it doesn't stop myopia, just slows it down.

$4k seems like a lot. We are in VA and pay $950 for a year of treatment. This includes 4 visits and a years worth of contacts.

My youngest is also getting the same treatment, but we might need to switch lenses. The newer lenses are more expensive, almost double the cost. So, if we go this route, it will go up, but still not up to $4k a year.

Do you go to an ophthalmologist? Is he/she a pediatric doctor? My dd is 16.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are using the multi-focal daily lens for myopia control. We have had very good success. My oldest has been wearing contacts for 4 years now. When we started, she was 2.50 and she is now at 4.0. Both my DH and I are -11. Keep in mind, it doesn't stop myopia, just slows it down.

$4k seems like a lot. We are in VA and pay $950 for a year of treatment. This includes 4 visits and a years worth of contacts.

My youngest is also getting the same treatment, but we might need to switch lenses. The newer lenses are more expensive, almost double the cost. So, if we go this route, it will go up, but still not up to $4k a year.

What is the name of the treatment? It's hard to know if it's legit if we don't know what it is.

DS9 has been having success with MiSight contacts and has stayed at 3.0 for 2 years. They cost $2k the first year and $1k every additional year. I contribute to FSA specifically knowing we will have this expense, and the company (Cooper?) usually has a rebate program, plus a tiny bit covered by vision insurance, so the actual out of pocket is closer to $600-700.

I'd be skeptical of $4k a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are using the multi-focal daily lens for myopia control. We have had very good success. My oldest has been wearing contacts for 4 years now. When we started, she was 2.50 and she is now at 4.0. Both my DH and I are -11. Keep in mind, it doesn't stop myopia, just slows it down.

$4k seems like a lot. We are in VA and pay $950 for a year of treatment. This includes 4 visits and a years worth of contacts.

My youngest is also getting the same treatment, but we might need to switch lenses. The newer lenses are more expensive, almost double the cost. So, if we go this route, it will go up, but still not up to $4k a year.

Do you go to an ophthalmologist? Is he/she a pediatric doctor? My dd is 16.

. Optomeris.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are using the multi-focal daily lens for myopia control. We have had very good success. My oldest has been wearing contacts for 4 years now. When we started, she was 2.50 and she is now at 4.0. Both my DH and I are -11. Keep in mind, it doesn't stop myopia, just slows it down.

$4k seems like a lot. We are in VA and pay $950 for a year of treatment. This includes 4 visits and a years worth of contacts.

My youngest is also getting the same treatment, but we might need to switch lenses. The newer lenses are more expensive, almost double the cost. So, if we go this route, it will go up, but still not up to $4k a year.

What is the name of the treatment? It's hard to know if it's legit if we don't know what it is.

DS9 has been having success with MiSight contacts and has stayed at 3.0 for 2 years. They cost $2k the first year and $1k every additional year. I contribute to FSA specifically knowing we will have this expense, and the company (Cooper?) usually has a rebate program, plus a tiny bit covered by vision insurance, so the actual out of pocket is closer to $600-700.

I'd be skeptical of $4k a year.

We are using NaturalVue, but my DD doctor suggested the Misight. Ours is $950 after insurance then a $100 rebate, so $850. But your $600-$700 sounds even better.

For OP: Here is an article I found from the American Academy of Opthomolgy. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/myopia-control-in-children. Also some light reading: https://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(21)00326-2/fulltext

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are using the multi-focal daily lens for myopia control. We have had very good success. My oldest has been wearing contacts for 4 years now. When we started, she was 2.50 and she is now at 4.0. Both my DH and I are -11. Keep in mind, it doesn't stop myopia, just slows it down.

$4k seems like a lot. We are in VA and pay $950 for a year of treatment. This includes 4 visits and a years worth of contacts.

My youngest is also getting the same treatment, but we might need to switch lenses. The newer lenses are more expensive, almost double the cost. So, if we go this route, it will go up, but still not up to $4k a year.

What is the name of the treatment? It's hard to know if it's legit if we don't know what it is.

DS9 has been having success with MiSight contacts and has stayed at 3.0 for 2 years. They cost $2k the first year and $1k every additional year. I contribute to FSA specifically knowing we will have this expense, and the company (Cooper?) usually has a rebate program, plus a tiny bit covered by vision insurance, so the actual out of pocket is closer to $600-700.

I'd be skeptical of $4k a year.

We are using NaturalVue, but my DD doctor suggested the Misight. Ours is $950 after insurance then a $100 rebate, so $850. But your $600-$700 sounds even better.

For OP: Here is an article I found from the American Academy of Opthomolgy. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/myopia-control-in-children. Also some light reading: https://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(21)00326-2/fulltext

Neither of these links work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are using the multi-focal daily lens for myopia control. We have had very good success. My oldest has been wearing contacts for 4 years now. When we started, she was 2.50 and she is now at 4.0. Both my DH and I are -11. Keep in mind, it doesn't stop myopia, just slows it down.

$4k seems like a lot. We are in VA and pay $950 for a year of treatment. This includes 4 visits and a years worth of contacts.

My youngest is also getting the same treatment, but we might need to switch lenses. The newer lenses are more expensive, almost double the cost. So, if we go this route, it will go up, but still not up to $4k a year.

What is the name of the treatment? It's hard to know if it's legit if we don't know what it is.

DS9 has been having success with MiSight contacts and has stayed at 3.0 for 2 years. They cost $2k the first year and $1k every additional year. I contribute to FSA specifically knowing we will have this expense, and the company (Cooper?) usually has a rebate program, plus a tiny bit covered by vision insurance, so the actual out of pocket is closer to $600-700.

I'd be skeptical of $4k a year.

OP here. The place we went to is in Tysons treehouseeyes.com based in a referral from our optometrist. Optometrist says they used this place for their own kids. I don’t recall the name of the treatment. It’s not listed in their brochure.

Did you see an ophthalmologist before committing to this treatment? I’m having trouble making an appointment with ophthalmologist because most will only do surgery and not general consult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are using the multi-focal daily lens for myopia control. We have had very good success. My oldest has been wearing contacts for 4 years now. When we started, she was 2.50 and she is now at 4.0. Both my DH and I are -11. Keep in mind, it doesn't stop myopia, just slows it down.

$4k seems like a lot. We are in VA and pay $950 for a year of treatment. This includes 4 visits and a years worth of contacts.

My youngest is also getting the same treatment, but we might need to switch lenses. The newer lenses are more expensive, almost double the cost. So, if we go this route, it will go up, but still not up to $4k a year.

What is the name of the treatment? It's hard to know if it's legit if we don't know what it is.

DS9 has been having success with MiSight contacts and has stayed at 3.0 for 2 years. They cost $2k the first year and $1k every additional year. I contribute to FSA specifically knowing we will have this expense, and the company (Cooper?) usually has a rebate program, plus a tiny bit covered by vision insurance, so the actual out of pocket is closer to $600-700.

I'd be skeptical of $4k a year.

We are using NaturalVue, but my DD doctor suggested the Misight. Ours is $950 after insurance then a $100 rebate, so $850. But your $600-$700 sounds even better.

For OP: Here is an article I found from the American Academy of Opthomolgy. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/myopia-control-in-children. Also some light reading: https://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(21)00326-2/fulltext

PP when you say “doctor”, are you referring to an optometrist or ophthalmologist? Your insurance pays for this myopia treatment with drops and contact lenses?

[Anonymous]

My daughter has been doing MiSight for a year, over the course of which her vision did not worsen. Previously, her myopia progressed by 2 steps over a year.

My son (8) just started atropine drops after big jumps in his myopia over the past two years.

Here is a study our optometrist pointed us to on the use of atropine in children:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32019700/

[Anonymous]

My 10 year old is using atropine eye drops to slow myopia. We go to a pediatric ophthalmologist who recommended them. I did some reading, and we figured it was worthwhile. My kid is not perfect about using the drops every day though.

[Anonymous]

Following up, OP, we pay about $110 or so for the atropine eye drops. Not sure what would get it up to $4k. We go to a pediatric ophthalmologist at Eye Doctors of Washington.

[Anonymous]

PP again. Google is my friend.

We use the atropine eye drops only, but now I see that the Misight contacts are FDA approved to slow the progression od myopia: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-contact-lens-indicated-slow-progression-nearsightedness-children

I also found Naturalvue, but those just seem to be multi focal contacts? Not designed to slow myopia??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are using the multi-focal daily lens for myopia control. We have had very good success. My oldest has been wearing contacts for 4 years now. When we started, she was 2.50 and she is now at 4.0. Both my DH and I are -11. Keep in mind, it doesn't stop myopia, just slows it down.

$4k seems like a lot. We are in VA and pay $950 for a year of treatment. This includes 4 visits and a years worth of contacts.

My youngest is also getting the same treatment, but we might need to switch lenses. The newer lenses are more expensive, almost double the cost. So, if we go this route, it will go up, but still not up to $4k a year.

What is the name of the treatment? It's hard to know if it's legit if we don't know what it is.

DS9 has been having success with MiSight contacts and has stayed at 3.0 for 2 years. They cost $2k the first year and $1k every additional year. I contribute to FSA specifically knowing we will have this expense, and the company (Cooper?) usually has a rebate program, plus a tiny bit covered by vision insurance, so the actual out of pocket is closer to $600-700.

I'd be skeptical of $4k a year.

OP here. The place we went to is in Tysons treehouseeyes.com based in a referral from our optometrist. Optometrist says they used this place for their own kids. I don’t recall the name of the treatment. It’s not listed in their brochure.

Did you see an ophthalmologist before committing to this treatment? I’m having trouble making an appointment with ophthalmologist because most will only do surgery and not general consult.

My DH and DS have seen ophthalmologists over the last several years - no surgeries. DS is on atropine. We do nightly drops. He's almost 6 and the cost is about $45 per month (60 day script). Started @ a -3, told the same that we are only slowing, not preventing anything.