Revolutionary Contact Lens Therapy Transforms Children’s Vision Care in NYC’s Specialized Optical Shops

The landscape of childhood vision care is experiencing a dramatic transformation in 2025, particularly in New York City where specialized children’s optical shops are leading a myopia management revolution. Multifocal contact lenses slowed progression of nearsightedness in children, and the treatment benefit continued even after they stopped wearing the lenses. The finding suggests a successful long-term treatment strategy for using multifocal contact lenses to control myopia. This breakthrough represents a fundamental shift from simply correcting blurry vision to actively managing the underlying progression of myopia in young patients.

The Myopia Crisis Demanding Urgent Action

Myopia has become a leading cause of visual impairment globally, with a rapidly increasing prevalence among children, particularly in urbanised areas of East and Southeast Asia. The statistics are alarming: On average, 30% of the world is currently myopic and based on current trends, it is estimated that by 2050, almost 50% will be myopic. That’s a staggering 5 billion people! This epidemic has prompted NYC’s specialized children’s optical shops to adopt cutting-edge contact lens therapies that go far beyond traditional vision correction.

Severe, or high, myopia can also raise the risk of developing vision-related complications later in life, such as glaucoma or retinal detachment. Understanding these long-term risks, forward-thinking optical shops in New York City are implementing comprehensive myopia management programs that focus on slowing the progression of nearsightedness during the critical childhood years.

Advanced Contact Lens Technology Leading the Revolution

The most significant breakthrough in 2025 comes from specialized multifocal contact lenses that work differently than traditional corrective lenses. By contrast, soft multifocal contact lenses correct myopic vision in children while simultaneously slowing myopia progression by slowing eye growth. Designed like a bullseye, multifocal contact lenses focus light in two basic ways. The center portion of the lens corrects nearsightedness so that distance vision is clear, and it focuses light directly on the retina. The outer portion of the lens adds focusing power to bring the peripheral light into focus in front of the retina.

The FDA-approved MiSight 1 day contact lenses represent the gold standard in this field. MiSight®1 day contact lenses are the first and ONLY soft contact lenses that are FDA approved* to slow the progression of myopia in children 8-12 years of age at initiation of treatment¹. Over a 3-year period, slowed myopia progression 59% on average, reduced eye lengthening by 52% on average1†§, and 41% of eyes had no progression1†¶. Over a 6-year period, children wearing MiSight 1 day progressed less than 1.00D on average2§.

NYC’s Specialized Children’s Optical Shops at the Forefront

New York City has emerged as a leader in pediatric myopia management, with numerous specialized optical shops offering comprehensive treatment programs. These establishments understand that Myopia is finally being recognized as a disease1 for which we should provide treatments that manage the mechanism of progression, as opposed to simply alleviating the symptoms. The argument can be made that for young myopic children, the new standard of care consists of myopia management strategies, not single-vision correction of blurry distance vision.

Leading NYC practices like Eye Associates of New York, Vision On Park, and Manhattan Vision Associates are providing comprehensive myopia management programs that combine advanced contact lens therapy with other treatment modalities. At Eye Associates of New York, we take a proactive, evidence-based approach to help slow that progression and safeguard long-term eye health. We offer a full range of advanced myopia management treatments—including Stellest® lenses, orthokeratology, and low-dose atropine therapy—to create customized plans that fit each child’s unique needs and lifestyle.

Among these specialized providers, the Children’s Optical Shop NYC stands out for its dedicated focus on pediatric eyewear and comprehensive approach to children’s vision needs. With more than 500 frames from the top designers that are made specifically for children, toddlers, and babies, a welcoming environment, and a friendly, knowledgeable staff, it’s no wonder why leading Pediatric Ophthalmologists in New York City and the surrounding areas recommend The Children’s Eyeglass Store. At The Children’s Eyeglass Store, our goal is to provide kids with the highest quality, the most durable, and exceptionally comfortable glasses so that they see great – and look great, too.

The Science Behind Long-Term Success

Recent research published in 2025 has validated the long-term effectiveness of contact lens therapy for myopia management. Our findings suggest that it’s a reasonable strategy to fit children with multifocal contact lenses for myopia control at a younger age and continue treatment until the late teenage years when myopia progression has slowed. This finding is particularly significant because it addresses previous concerns about what happens when treatment stops.

Once the multifocal treatment was discontinued, the overall rate of eye growth was no different than the age-expected rate. “There was concern that the eye might grow faster than normal when myopia-control contact lenses were discontinued,” Berntsen says. This research provides parents and practitioners with confidence that the benefits of early intervention persist even after treatment ends.

A Comprehensive Approach to Children’s Vision

The most successful NYC practices are combining contact lens therapy with lifestyle modifications and comprehensive care. Increasing outdoor exposure to 40 to 80 minutes per day is strongly associated with delayed onset and slower progression of myopia. In addition, limiting sustained near work, especially at close viewing distances less than 20 cm, and promoting regular breaks from screen time and reading are also likely beneficial.32,33 These strategies are low-cost, low-risk, and should be recommended alongside optical or pharmacologic therapy.

As we move through 2025, the myopia management revolution continues to gain momentum in NYC’s specialized children’s optical shops. With advanced contact lens therapies proving their long-term effectiveness and specialized providers offering comprehensive care programs, parents now have unprecedented opportunities to protect their children’s vision for life. The combination of cutting-edge technology, specialized expertise, and child-focused care environments is transforming how we approach childhood myopia, offering hope for a future where progressive nearsightedness no longer threatens children’s long-term eye health.