Long-term study shows hydrogel contact lens wear safe for children
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A 6-year clinical trial of 114 children between the ages of 8 and 12 years confirmed the safety of daily disposable hydrogel contact lenses and identified slowed progression of myopia in children who wore CooperVision’s MiSight lenses.
The researchers published the study findings in the Journal of the British Contact Lens Association.
“About a decade ago, initial contact lens fits for refractive correction were typically only undertaken on teenagers.” wrote Jill Woods, MSC, MCOPTOM, FAAO, FBCLA, head of clinical research for the Centre for Ocular Research and Education, and colleagues in the study. “A recent fitting survey report indicates that the current age for myopia control soft lens fitting is age 12, and that fitting children as young as 8 is increasing in frequency.”
For years 1 to 3, participants were grouped randomly to wear either MiSight 1-day or Proclear 1-day lenses, both made of omafilcon A material. Lenses were identical in diameter, curve and edge design and overall thickness, with the front surface dual-focus optical zone in the MiSight 1 day lens designed to slow the progression of myopia in children as the only difference. At the end of year 3, all participants switched to wearing MiSight lenses for years 4 to 6.
According to the study, adverse events, both ocular and nonocular, were reported and classified into “serious, significant or nonsignificant,” with serious adverse events including any vision-threatening conditions or any event that could, “result in permanent impairment of a body function or body structure.”
“You really want them to stay comfortable in contact lenses throughout their life,” Woods said in an interview with Primary Care Optometry News. “This paper gives confidence to everyone in saying that while there always is a risk in contact lenses at any age, these children do not seem to be under any greater risk than that.”
Researchers reported that across the 6-year study there were no contact lens-related serious adverse events and no significant changes in biomicroscopy. Results suggest that these daily disposable hydrogel contact lenses are safe for children between the ages of 8 and 12 years.
“I hope this allows practitioners now to feel confident and comfortable having the conversation that contact lenses for myopia control specifically are an option,” Woods told PCON. “There shouldn’t be any hesitancy about the risks associated with that age group and contact lenses, whether for myopia control or any other reason.”
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