Contact lenses for myopia (nearsightedness)

Myopia, or nearsightedness, makes it difficult to see objects that are far away. Fortunately, there are contact lens options your eye doctor may recommend, depending on how old you are.

Medically reviewed on October 31, 2025

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Published February 17, 2026

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5 minute read

Contact lenses to correct nearsightedness

Many people with myopia wear what are called “single vision” contacts to help them see clearly at a distance. They’re called “single vision” because they have one lens strength, or prescription. For nearsightedness, the prescription numbers are negative, with low negative numbers like -1.0D (diopters) indicating low levels of myopia and higher numbers (like -4.0D) indicating higher levels of myopia.

How they work

When you have myopia, your eye focuses light in front of your retina ( the part of your eye that sends images to your brain), rather than on it, making vision blurry at a distance. Contact lenses for myopia help spread out the light rays, moving the focal point back onto the retina, helping you see distant objects clearly. It’s important to note that childhood myopia is often managed differently than myopia in adulthood (more on that below).

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Soft contact lenses made to help manage childhood myopia

Myopia is more than just the nearsightedness that you might be familiar with. It’s actually a progressive disease where the eye grows too long. It can start at a young age and “progress,” or worsen, through a child’s growing years. The problem is, this myopia progression doesn’t just cause blurry vision, it also increases the risk of other more severe eye health conditions later in life. Because of this heightened risk, doctors have been looking for ways to slow or prevent myopia progression, and one way they’ve found is through the use of special contact lenses.

Lenses that help slow progression of myopia

Research shows that how light enters the eye can affect how it grows. Peripheral light, in particular, may play a role in eye elongation—a key factor in myopia. That’s why some myopia management contact lenses are designed to change how peripheral light focuses, shifting it in front of the retina instead of behind. This sends a signal that helps slow eye growth. While more research is underway, these innovative lenses are already making a difference for kids with myopia

Orthokeratology lenses for overnight myopia management

Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) takes a different approach than soft contact lenses. These specially designed rigid lenses are worn overnight and gently reshape the cornea while you sleep. For many people, this means waking up to clear vision during the day—without glasses or daytime contacts. The science behind Ortho-K is complex, but studies show it can help slow eye elongation, a key factor in myopia progression.

Contacts for those with myopia and presbyopia

Depending on the degree of your myopia, there are a few ways your eye doctor may recommend correcting your vision.

Your regular myopia contact lenses and reading glasses

For many, this is the simplest approach. Just keep wearing your contact lenses and throw on some reading glasses when needed. You just need to make sure you have your reading glasses with you most of the time.

Monovision contacts

This approach is where your eye doctor will fit you with a different prescription for each eye—one eye for near vision and one eye for distance vision (usually the dominant eye). It may take some getting used to, but for many, the brain adapts.

Understand monovision contacts

Multifocal contacts

These contact lenses have multiple prescriptions in the same lens, so that you are able to see clearly near, far, and in-between.

See how multifocal contacts work

Questions? Talk to your eye doctor

If you have questions about contacts for myopia, it’s important to reach out to your eye doctor. They can assess you or your child's eyes, discuss treatment options, and recommend the right glasses or other management strategies.

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FAQs

Frequently asked questions

What are myopia control contact lenses?

Myopia control contact lenses are specially designed soft contact lenses that help slow down the worsening of nearsightedness in children and teenagers. They work by altering how light enters the eye, which can help reduce the eye’s growth and limit myopia progression.

Are contact lenses for myopia safe for children?

Many children wear contact lenses without complication. Contact lenses, at any age, require following your doctor’s recommendation for wear, care and handling. Talk to your eye doctor if you'd like to explore the risks and benefits of contact lens use for your child.

What are myopia contact lenses?

Myopia lenses are either vision-correcting (with no design intent to slow myopia progression), or designed to slow myopia progression. Contact lenses that slow myopia progression may also correct vision.

Can contact lenses for myopia help manage its progression?

Yes, certain myopia management contact lenses, like specially designed soft contact lenses and orthokeratology, have been shown to slow the progression of myopia in children and teens. They can be an effective part of a comprehensive myopia management plan.