Spectacle Lenses With Highly Aspherical Lenslets for Slowing Axial Elongation and Refractive Change in Low-Hyperopic Chinese Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: Spectacle lenses with highly aspherical lenslets (HAL) have been shown to effectively retard myopia progression in myopic children. This study aimed to investigate the impact of spectacle lenses with HAL on refractive and axial length (AL) changes in Chinese children with low amount of hyperopia.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial.

METHODS

A total of 108 Chinese children aged 6.0 to 9.9 years and spherical equivalent refractive error (SERE) from 0.00 to +2.00 D were randomly allocated into two groups: the HAL group and the single vision spectacle lens (SVL) group. Cycloplegic refraction, AL, and uncorrected visual acuity were measured at baseline, 6 and 12 months after lens dispensing. The duration of spectacle lens wear was monitored using a wearable device attached to the spectacle frame and by questionnaire logs provided by participants at each follow-up visit.

RESULTS

The 1-year SERE change was -0.19 (-0.32, 0.03) D and -0.23 (-0.36, 0.05) D in the SVL and HAL groups (P = .883). The 1-year AL elongation was 0.24 (0.18, 0.34) mm and 0.19 (0.12, 0.27) mm in the SVL and HAL groups (P = .057). In the HAL group, changes in AL and SERE were significantly correlated to lens wearing time (P < .001 and P = .024, respectively). Participants in the HAL group who wore their lenses for more than 30 hours per week had significantly slower AL elongation (0.11 [0.05, 0.17] mm) compared to their SVL counterparts (0.27 [0.21, 0.33] mm) (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Spectacle lenses with HAL significantly reduced AL elongation in low hyperopic children who wore lenses for over 30 hours per week. A dose-response relationship was evident with longer lens wearing time associated with less AL change.