This post will track some research on control of myopia progression. Myopia, nearsightedness, frequently seems to ‘creep’ along and become stronger and stronger, to the point that correcting glasses become very expensive and esthetically challenging to manage. With extreme myopia, people cannot see clearly beyond just mere centimeters in front of their faces. While surgical intervention (LASIK/PRK) is often the ‘best’ solution for high myopic prescriptions, it comes with significant risks and it does not address the likely causes of increasing prescriptions.
There are a number of focuses in research that are trying to determine the nature of increasing prescription power, and also what to do to slow it down. Some consider the use of spectacle lenses, like bifocals, while others look at contact lenses, or pharmacological intervention.
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Read a summary of the ATOM (Atropine Treatment of Myopia) study:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/453554
See Dr. Len Press’s commentary on myopia control: http://visionhelp.wordpress.com/2011/11/03/coopers-vision/