One of the most clinically important questions in myopia management is when — and how — to stop treatment. Unlike orthokeratology and some spectacle lens designs, MiSight® 1 day has a robust evidence base showing no rebound effect after discontinuation. This page covers what the data actually shows and how to apply it in practice.
Bottom line: After either 3 or 6 years of MiSight treatment, post-treatment axial elongation and myopic progression return to age-normal rates — not to accelerated rates. Prior treatment gains are retained. This is the opposite of what has been observed with some other myopia control interventions.
Rebound is defined as myopia progression beyond age-expected rates after treatment cessation — not simply a return to normal progression. It is distinct from the expected resumption of age-appropriate eye growth after stopping any intervention.
Some myopia control modalities show rebound: orthokeratology discontinuation is associated with a temporary acceleration of axial elongation above normal rates, and high-concentration atropine shows greater rebound than low doses. MiSight is unique in having 7-year data explicitly demonstrating that post-cessation growth tracks normal age rates.
Chamberlain et al. (Eye Contact Lens, 2023) evaluated children who had worn MiSight for either 3 or 6 years before discontinuation. Key findings:
Why this matters clinically: Parents often worry that stopping treatment will "undo" the benefits. The 7-year data directly addresses this — gains accrued during treatment (lower AL, lower prescription than untreated peers) are preserved after stopping. Progression after stopping is not faster than it would have been without any treatment at all.
The MiSight Assessment Study Spain (MASS) provided independent corroboration. After two years of MiSight wear followed by a one-year cessation period, no rebound effect was observed. Post-treatment progression matched age-expected norms in the study cohort.
| Criterion | Recommendation | Evidence source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum treatment duration | ≥2 years continuous wear | Chamberlain 2023 |
| Minimum age at cessation | ≥13 years (older preferred) | Chamberlain 2023 |
| AL stability | Axial growth stable over 12 months | Clinical consensus |
| Late teenage years (14–16) | Continue — data suggests slight post-cessation growth above age norms in this group | Chamberlain 2023 |
| Prescription stability | Confirm with refraction at 2 consecutive visits | Clinical consensus |
⚠️ Important nuance: For children who cease MiSight at ages 14–16, Chamberlain 2023 observed slightly greater than age-predicted progression during the post-cessation year, compared to those who stopped at 13. This suggests continuing treatment into the later teenage years may provide additional protection against residual post-treatment growth. The safest approach is to continue until axial growth has clearly stabilised rather than stopping at a fixed age.
| Modality | Rebound evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|
| MiSight® 1 day | No rebound — returns to age-normal rates | Chamberlain 2023; MASS 2021 |
| Orthokeratology | Temporary rebound on cessation — ~0.10mm above normal (IMI 2025) | IMI 2025 Digest |
| Atropine 0.01% | Minimal rebound vs higher doses | ATOM2; Chiu 2024 systematic review |
| Atropine 0.05% | Significant rebound on cessation | ATOM1 |
| Stellest® HALT | Limited cessation data available | Bao 2022 |
This table reflects rebound specifically — not overall efficacy. A modality can be highly efficacious while still showing rebound on cessation, and vice versa.
Plot axial length visits over time to monitor treatment response and determine when stabilisation criteria are met.
Open Calculator →Chamberlain P et al. Eye growth and myopia progression following cessation of myopia control therapy with a dual-focus soft contact lens. Eye Contact Lens. 2023 · Ruiz-Pomeda A et al. Rebound Effect in the MiSight Assessment Study Spain (MASS). Curr Eye Res. 2021;46(8):1223–1226. PMID 33460537 · Chiu YC et al. Systematic Review of Myopia Progression after Cessation of Optical Interventions. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2024;44(1):45–77 · IMI 2025 Digest (Tahhan N et al.) · MiSight® is a registered trademark of The Cooper Companies, Inc. Educational content — not prescribing guidance.