Why Is My Child's Prescription Getting Stronger Every Year?

If you've noticed that your child's glasses prescription seems to change every time you visit the optometrist, you're not imagining it — and you're far from alone. For many parents in Toronto and the GTA, watching their child's vision get progressively worse year after year is a source of real worry. The good news is that this isn't something you simply have to accept. Understanding why it happens is the first step toward doing something about it.
 

What Is Actually Happening to Your Child's Eyes?

When a child is nearsighted (myopic), it means their eye has grown too long from front to back. Instead of light focusing cleanly on the retina at the back of the eye, it focuses just in front of it — causing distant objects to appear blurry.

The reason prescriptions keep climbing is that children's eyes continue to grow as they do. In a myopic eye, this growth doesn't stop at the right point — the eye keeps elongating, pushing the prescription higher and higher. This is called myopia progression, and it typically accelerates during the school years, often between ages 6 and 16, before stabilizing in early adulthood.

This isn't simply a matter of needing stronger glasses each year. Every increase in prescription represents real, physical change inside the eye — and that matters for long-term health.
 

Why Should I Be Concerned Beyond Just Stronger Glasses?

This is the question many parents don't think to ask, and it's one of the most important ones.

Higher levels of myopia are directly associated with an increased risk of serious eye conditions later in life — including retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataracts, and myopic macular degeneration. These are not distant, unlikely possibilities. Research consistently shows that the higher a person's myopia, the greater their lifetime risk of sight-threatening complications.

Putting it simply: a child whose myopia is allowed to progress unchecked to a high prescription is not just a child who needs thick glasses. They are a young adult who will carry a significantly elevated risk of eye disease for the rest of their life.

This is why myopia control — actively slowing the rate of progression — is about so much more than convenience. It is about protecting your child's long-term vision and eye health.
 

What Causes Myopia to Progress So Quickly in Some Children?

Several factors influence how fast a child's myopia develops and progresses:

Genetics plays a significant role. If one parent is myopic, a child's risk is considerably higher. If both parents are myopic, the risk increases further still. However, genetics alone does not determine the outcome — environmental factors matter enormously.

Screen time and near work have been strongly linked to myopia progression. When children spend extended periods focused on phones, tablets, computers, and books, the visual system is under sustained near-focus demand. This is believed to contribute to the eye's elongation over time.

Lack of outdoor time is one of the most significant and underappreciated factors. Research has consistently shown that children who spend more time outdoors have slower rates of myopia progression. Natural light exposure and the visual experience of looking at distant objects both appear to play a protective role. Many eye care experts now recommend a minimum of 90 minutes of outdoor time per day for myopic children.

Age of onset also matters — children who become myopic at a younger age (before 8 or 9) tend to have more years of progression ahead of them and are at greater risk of reaching high myopia by adulthood.
 

Can Myopia Progression Actually Be Slowed?

Yes — and this is where things have changed significantly in optometry over the past decade.

There are now several evidence-based treatments proven to slow the rate at which a child's myopia progresses. This is called myopia control, and it is one of the most impactful things an optometrist can offer a young patient today.

Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)

Ortho-K is consistently one of the most effective myopia control options available. These are specially designed rigid lenses worn overnight while your child sleeps. They gently reshape the front surface of the eye (the cornea) so that when your child wakes up and removes the lenses, they can see clearly throughout the entire day — without glasses or daytime contact lenses.

Beyond the convenience of glasses-free days, the corneal reshaping created by Ortho-K produces a specific optical effect that signals the eye to slow its elongation. Multiple peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated that Ortho-K can reduce the rate of myopia progression by up to 50% compared to standard glasses.

For active children who play sports, swim, or simply dislike wearing glasses, Ortho-K is often life-changing — offering both excellent vision and meaningful protection against worsening myopia simultaneously.

Myopia Control Spectacle Lenses

Specially designed spectacle lenses such as Stellest and MiYOSMART incorporate peripheral defocus technology that, like Ortho-K, signals the eye to slow its growth. These are worn as regular glasses during the day and are a good option for younger children or those not yet ready for contact lenses.

Atropine Eye Drops

Low-dose atropine drops, applied nightly, have been shown in clinical trials to significantly slow myopia progression. They are typically used in combination with other methods for children with rapidly progressing myopia.

Increased Outdoor Time

While not a clinical treatment, encouraging at least 90 minutes of outdoor activity daily is something every parent of a myopic child should prioritize. It is one of the most evidence-supported lifestyle recommendations in myopia management.
 

What Should I Do If My Child's Prescription Keeps Changing?

The most important step is to have a conversation with an optometrist who specializes in myopia control — not just one who updates the prescription and sends you to the optical shop.

At a dedicated myopia management consultation, your child's optometrist should:

• Review the history and rate of prescription change over time

• Assess the axial length of the eye (how long the eye is) if equipment is available

• Discuss your child's lifestyle, screen habits, and outdoor time

• Present the full range of myopia control options appropriate for your child's age, prescription, and lifestyle

• Design a personalized treatment plan — not a one-size-fits-all approach

This last point matters. A 7-year-old with rapidly progressing myopia and a love of swimming has very different needs than a 14-year-old who is moderately myopic and wears glasses without complaint. The right treatment plan starts with understanding your child as an individual.
 

At What Age Should Myopia Control Begin?

As early as possible. The earlier myopia control is initiated, the more progression can be prevented over the child's growing years. Waiting until the prescription "stabilizes" is not a recommended approach — by the time it stabilizes naturally, significant progression may have already occurred.

If your child has been diagnosed with myopia — or if you've noticed their prescription increasing at consecutive visits — now is the right time to ask about myopia control.
 

A Note to Parents

It is completely understandable to feel that stronger glasses are simply part of growing up — many parents were told exactly that about their own eyes. But the evidence today tells a different story. Myopia is no longer viewed purely as a refractive inconvenience. It is a condition with real long-term implications, and one that we now have meaningful tools to manage.

At DeSouza Optometry, every myopia management plan begins with a genuine conversation — about your child's life, their activities, their school demands, and your goals as a family. The clinical data matters enormously, but so does understanding the child sitting in front of us. It is this combination that leads to a treatment plan your child will actually follow — and one that will make a real difference to their vision for decades to come.

If your child's prescription has been increasing, we'd love to talk. Book a myopia control consultation at DeSouza Optometry in North York. 📞 (416) 494-3050 | desouzaoptometry.com.

Dr. Nicholas DeSouza is an optometrist in North York specializing in Orthokeratology, scleral lenses, RGP contact lenses, and advanced dry eye management at DeSouza Optometry.