Myopia is a common ocular disorder. In recent years, the incidence of myopia presents an increasing trend year by year. Patients with high myopia are at an increased risk for severe visual impairment. The economic and societal impacts of complication associated with myopia are enormous. Therefore, it is essential and imminent for implementing effective myopia control strategies. The results of the current study suggest that uncontrolled axial elongation produced by periphral hyperopic defocus could be one of the possible mechanisms for myopia development, multiple strategies especially optical defocus technology based on this are increasingly becoming part of the mainstream clinical practice in myopia management. This article reviews the principle of optical defocus on myopia control, experimental research on defocus myopia animals, and the latest clinical applications of different optical defocus technologies on myopia control, summarizes the clinical research results of myopia control using progressive addition spectacle lenses, peripheral defocus spectacle lenses, defocus incorporated multiple segments spectacle lenses, orthokeratology contact lenses and multifocal soft contact lenses. It is proposed to provide a new option for the treatment plan to delay the progression of myopia.