A contact lens for use in controlling the progression of myopia has a central optical zone approximating the normal diameter of the pupil of the eye that gives clear central vision at distance for the wearer. An annular peripheral optical zone that is substantially outside the diameter of the pupil is formed around the central optical zone with greater refractive power than that of the central zone so that oblique rays entering the eye through the peripheral optical zone will be brought to focus at a focal plane that is substantially on or anterior to the peripheral region of the retina.