Is your child's prescription getting stronger every year?
Myopia (near-sightedness) is rising at an alarming rate in children and teens, driven by increased screen time and less time outdoors. The good news: its progression can be slowed. Our myopia control treatment has proven highly effective in slowing progression in adolescents.
Myopia is not just about stronger glasses
Every year of unchecked progression means a longer eyeball and a stronger prescription. Managing myopia in childhood is about protecting your child's eye health for life.
of the global population is projected to be myopic by 2050. Screen use and reduced time outdoors are driving the increase in children and teens.
of research worldwide into slowing or stopping myopia progression in children. Myopia control is an exciting and critically important chapter in optometry.
Progressive myopia is a prescription that strengthens by more than half a dioptre in under a year, most common in children and teens.
The long-term picture: higher levels of myopia are associated with an increased lifetime risk of serious eye conditions, including retinal problems, in adulthood. Slowing progression during the growing years reduces how short-sighted your child ultimately becomes, and that matters for decades to come.
Could your child's myopia be progressing?
The prescription keeps climbing
Corrections increasing by more than half a dioptre within a year are the defining sign of progressive myopia.
Short-sighted parents
There is a genetic component. Children of near-sighted parents carry a higher risk of developing progressive myopia themselves.
Close-up habits
Reading, phones and tablets held closer than a forearm's length, combined with long screen hours and limited outdoor time, are linked to progression.
Ortho-K: clear vision by day, treatment by night
A specially designed rigid contact lens gently reshapes the front of the eye (the cornea) while your child sleeps. On waking, they see clearly for the whole day, no spectacles or daytime lenses required.
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Slows myopia progressionYoung children with moderate to high myopia benefit from overnight Ortho-K as a proven myopia control approach.
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Freedom during the dayNo glasses to break at school, no lenses to lose at sport or swimming. Wake up, take the lenses out, and see clearly.
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Fully reversibleThe reshaping effect is temporary. If wear stops, the cornea gradually returns to its original shape.
A night and day with Ortho-K
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Bedtime
Lenses in. Your child sleeps normally while the lenses gently and painlessly reshape the cornea.
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Morning
Lenses out. Vision is clear from the moment they wake, ready for school, sport and screens.
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All day
Clear, unaided vision. No spectacles, no daytime contact lenses, nothing to lose or break.
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Ongoing
Progression monitored. Regular follow-ups at the practice track your child's prescription over time.
How myopia control works at our practice
Comprehensive assessment
A thorough examination of your child's vision, prescription history and eye health to confirm suitability.
Custom lens design
Ortho-K lenses are designed specifically for your child's eyes. No two fits are the same.
Fitting & training
We fit the lenses and teach you and your child safe, simple insertion, removal and hygiene routines.
Ongoing monitoring
Regular reviews track the prescription and the fit, so treatment stays effective as your child grows.
Advanced lens fitting is what we do
Three decades of caring for Roodepoort families, from first eye tests to advanced lens fitting.
Ortho-K is a rigid lens discipline. Our special focus on advanced rigid lens design, including scleral lenses fitted since 2013, means your child is in experienced hands.
Assessment, fitting, training and every follow-up under one roof at 313 Ontdekkers Road, with parking and full wheelchair access.
Parents usually ask us
Is Ortho-K safe for children?
Ortho-K is a well-established treatment, fitted and monitored by us at every stage. As with any contact lens, good hygiene and attending follow-up appointments are important, and we train every family thoroughly in both.
Does it hurt or feel uncomfortable?
The lenses are worn during sleep, so awareness of them is minimal. Most children adapt within the first few nights, and the reshaping itself is gentle and painless.
How quickly will my child see results?
Many patients notice a meaningful improvement within the first days of wear, with the full effect typically settling in over the first couple of weeks. We monitor progress closely throughout.
What happens if we stop?
The effect is fully reversible. If lens wear stops, the cornea gradually returns to its original shape and vision returns to its previous state, so nothing is permanent.
Is my child a candidate?
Suitability depends on the prescription, corneal shape and your child's readiness to handle lenses. A comprehensive assessment at the practice is the only reliable way to know, and it is the natural first step.
Book your child's myopia assessment today
The earlier progression is addressed, the more of your child's future eyesight is protected. Message us on WhatsApp and we will arrange a comprehensive assessment.
Landline & WhatsApp: 011 472 7430 · info@paulmoldovanos.co.za