Parents researching myopia control for their child almost always run into the same frustrating wall: the websites all talk about outcomes and science, but nobody publishes real prices. This makes it nearly impossible to budget, compare programs, or have an honest conversation with your partner about whether this is something your family can do.
We are going to do the opposite. Here is exactly what myopia management costs at our Orange County practice, what is included, how financing works, and what to expect from insurance. No hidden fees, no surprise add-ons, no "starts at" asterisks.
The Short Answer: $4,600 for a 2-Year Myopia Management Program
Our comprehensive pediatric myopia management program is $4,600 for 24 months. That fee covers everything needed to actively slow the progression of your child's nearsightedness for two full years, using the evidence-based treatment or combination of treatments best suited to your child. After the initial 2-year program, ongoing care is $1,100 per year.
That is the real number. No per-visit charges on top of it. No separate lens fees hidden in the second year. No surprise "refitting" charges when your child's prescription changes. Parents deserve to know what they are signing up for, and this is it.
What's Included
The $4,600 program fee covers the full clinical pathway from the first consultation through the 24-month outcome review.
- Initial comprehensive eye exam with cycloplegic refraction to establish the true refractive error
- Baseline axial length measurement using our Myopia Master device — this is the single most important outcome metric in modern myopia control
- Treatment plan selection, which may be orthokeratology (ortho-K), low-dose atropine, MiSight daily disposable soft contact lenses, Stellest spectacle lenses, or a combination approach
- All fitting visits for contact lens or ortho-K patients, including as many refits as needed to get the fit right
- All trial lenses during the fitting phase
- Two full years of follow-up at the planned cadence — typically 8 to 12 visits in year one, 4 to 6 visits in year two
- Repeat axial length measurements at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months to measure real biological progression
- Unlimited communication for issues that come up between visits (redness, discomfort, lost lens, questions about compliance)
- Backup glasses prescription updated whenever it changes, free of additional exam fees
Everything a child needs to be actively, clinically managed for two years. Included.
Year 3 and Beyond: $1,100/year
After the initial 2-year intensive program, most children transition to a maintenance cadence. Myopia control does not stop at 24 months — the treatment continues, but the visit frequency typically decreases to 3 or 4 appointments per year. At that point, annual care is $1,100, which again covers everything: visits, axial length monitoring, lens updates, and backup Rx changes.
Most children remain in a myopia management program until their late teens, when the eye stops growing and the prescription stabilizes naturally. For a child who starts at age 8, that is typically a 10-year commitment. The cumulative cost over a decade is less than many families spend on orthodontics — and the outcome, in lifelong eye health terms, is arguably more significant.
Why It Costs More Than Regular Eye Care
A routine pediatric eye exam with a glasses prescription is an affordable, low-intensity visit. Myopia management is a different category of care — closer to orthodontics than to a standard eye exam — and the cost reflects that.
Axial length monitoring device — the Myopia Master
Measuring how much the eye is actually growing requires specialized equipment. The Myopia Master is a combined optical biometer and keratometer specifically designed for pediatric myopia tracking. This instrument is not standard in general optometry offices; it is a practice-level investment dedicated to this patient population.
Multiple specialty lens fittings over 24 months
Children grow. Their eyes grow. Their prescriptions change. An ortho-K lens that fit perfectly at age 9 may need to be remade at age 10. MiSight lenses change power annually for many patients. Every one of these refits is included in the program fee.
FDA-approved MiSight lenses supply
MiSight 1 day is the first and only FDA-approved soft contact lens specifically indicated for slowing myopia progression in children. A year's supply is included for MiSight patients.
Intensive provider time
Year one typically involves 8 to 12 visits: initial exam, fitting, dispensing, 1-week check, 1-month check, 3-month, 6-month, 9-month, 12-month. Each visit is longer than a standard exam because we are running repeat biometry, troubleshooting compliance issues, and teaching the child better insertion or removal technique. The time adds up, and it is included.
Financing Options
Most families do not pay $4,600 out of pocket upfront. We offer three practical ways to spread the cost.
CareCredit — 12 or 24 month interest-free
CareCredit is a healthcare financing credit card that offers 12 or 24 month interest-free promotional financing with approved credit. A 24-month plan on $4,600 works out to approximately $192 per month with no interest if paid in full during the promotional period. This is the option most of our program families use.
In-house payment plan
For families who prefer not to open a CareCredit account, we offer a flexible in-house payment plan. This typically takes the form of a payment at the start of the program followed by monthly payments over the course of the first year. Terms are arranged case by case — please ask us at the consultation.
FSA/HSA eligible
Myopia management is considered a medical expense and is eligible for payment from Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts. If you have an FSA or HSA, you can use pre-tax dollars for the program fee. This can effectively reduce the out-of-pocket cost by 20 to 30 percent depending on your tax bracket.
What Insurance Usually Does (And Doesn't) Cover
Insurance coverage for myopia management is inconsistent, and we want to be honest about what to expect.
Annual vision benefit often covers the comprehensive exam portion
Most vision insurance plans — VSP, EyeMed, Spectera, and similar — include an annual comprehensive eye exam benefit. This benefit typically applies to the exam portion of the initial consultation, which can reduce the effective starting cost. We will verify your benefits at no charge before the program begins.
Ortho-K lenses themselves are rarely covered by vision plans
Most vision plans explicitly exclude specialty contact lens fittings for myopia control. Some plans provide a materials allowance that can offset lens costs, but the full fitting and program fee is almost never covered.
Medical insurance may cover portions if documented progressive myopia is a medical necessity
In cases of rapidly progressing myopia — especially when axial length growth puts the child at higher lifetime risk of retinal disease — some medical insurance plans will cover portions of the evaluation and monitoring. This requires detailed documentation, pre-authorization, and realistic expectations. It is not a guaranteed pathway, but for the right patients it is worth pursuing.
How Our Pricing Compares
Fair disclosure: $4,600 for a 2-year program is in the normal range for evidence-based myopia management in the United States. Some practices charge less, some charge more. A few things are worth knowing before you price shop.
Programs that come in significantly cheaper often skip axial length monitoring — they measure prescription change instead, which is a much less sensitive outcome measure and can mask real disease progression. A program without biometry is not really a myopia control program; it is a contact lens fitting with periodic check-ins.
Programs that charge substantially more sometimes bundle in services that most children do not need, or are located in markets with higher baseline costs. We priced our program to include everything that is actually supported by clinical evidence, without padding.
The Cost of NOT Managing Myopia
It is worth looking at the other side of the decision as well. Progressive myopia is not a cosmetic issue — it is a lifelong risk factor.
Higher lifetime eye health risk
Children who reach adulthood with high myopia (-6.00 diopters or worse, or an axial length over 26 millimeters) have measurably elevated risk of retinal detachment, glaucoma, myopic maculopathy, and other sight-threatening conditions later in life. Slowing progression in childhood is the single most impactful thing we can do to reduce that lifetime risk.
Higher optical costs over decades
A child whose myopia is uncontrolled may end up with a -10.00 prescription as an adult. The lenses required for that prescription are more expensive, the optical options are more limited, and the cumulative cost of glasses and contacts over 60 adult years adds up meaningfully.
The emotional cost for kids of progressive vision decline
Every parent who has watched a child's prescription jump a full diopter in one year knows what this looks like from the inside. The child sees themselves getting "more broken" each visit. They start avoiding sports without glasses. They worry about their vision in ways children should not have to worry about. Active management gives the child and the family a sense of agency — something we are doing about this, not just watching it happen.
Questions Parents Ask
What if my child isn't a candidate for Ortho-K?
Ortho-K is excellent for many children, but it is not the only path. Low-dose atropine eye drops, MiSight daily disposables, and Stellest spectacle lenses all have strong evidence bases for slowing myopia progression. We choose the treatment — or combination of treatments — that best fits your child's prescription, anatomy, age, and lifestyle.
What if we want to stop early?
If for any reason the program is not working for your family — the child struggles with lens insertion, the family moves, circumstances change — we discuss early exits case by case. The goal is good care, not a contract enforcement exercise.
Do you offer a payment plan under 12 months?
Yes. We can arrange shorter in-house plans for families who prefer to finish payments quickly. Please ask us at the consultation.
Starting Your Child's Program
The first step is a consultation and baseline exam. We measure your child's current refraction, run a cycloplegic refraction to find the true prescription, take a baseline axial length reading with the Myopia Master, and discuss which treatment options best fit your child. You leave that visit with a clear recommendation and a real number — no guessing, no ambiguity.
To schedule, call (949) 323-3600 or visit our myopia management program page. Dr. Bonakdar has been fitting specialty contact lenses for 35 years, and pediatric myopia management is one of the most rewarding parts of our practice — because we are not treating a condition, we are changing the trajectory of a child's eye health for life.
For related reading, see our comparison of ortho-K versus atropine versus MiSight for myopia management, our overview of orthokeratology, and our Stellest spectacle lens program.
Have Questions About Your Eye Health?
Dr. Alexander Bonakdar and his team are here to help. Schedule a consultation to discuss your specific needs.