Progressive addition lenses helpful in slowing myopic progression in kids

For children with large lags of accommodation, progressive addition lenses may not only improve visual performance, but may delay the progression of myopia as well, according to a study.

Jane Gwiazda and colleagues collected data from children enrolled in the Correction of Myopia Evaluation Trial, which included 469 ethnically diverse children between 6 and 11 years old. Their myopia ranged from –1.25 D to –4.5 D. Of those identified for the study, 235 were assigned to progressive addition lenses with a +2 addition, and 234 were assigned to receive single vision lenses. All children were observed for 3 years.

The primary outcome measure was the progression of myopia; other measurements included accommodative response, phoria, reading distance and hours of near work.

Children with a larger accommodative lag — defined in this study as more than 0.43 D for a 33 cm target — wearing single vision lenses showed the most myopic progression at 3 years. Once moved to progressive addition lenses, myopia progression slowed in these children. There was statistically significant 3-year treatment effects for those with larger lags in accommodation in combination with near esophoria, shorter reading distances or lower baseline myopia. The 3-year treatment effect for children with larger lags and more near work was not significant.

The study is published in the July issue of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.