The Effect of Eyeglass Correction with Defocus Design Lenses on the Progression of Myopia in Children and Adolescents

Introduction. Progressive myopia remains a serious medical and social problem that requires effective methods of its stabilization.

A promising non-invasive approach is glasses with a defocused DIMS design that slow down the axial growth of the eye. Comparative studies of evidence-based methods allow selection of optimal control strategies for different patient groups. The present work is part of a large project aimed at evaluating such methods.

 Purpose: to study the effect of DIMS glasses on myopia progression in children and adolescents by axial length (AL) and spheroequivalent (SE) scores over 12 months. 

Patients and methods. The study included 63 children 7–14 years old with mild to moderate myopia (-0.50 D to -6.00 D). Patients independently chose the method of correction: transfocal glasses, orthokeratology or soft bifocal lenses. The study group consisted of those who chose glasses with DIMS. AL and SE were measured at baseline and 12 months. Myopia was stratified. 

Results. Over the year, the average increase in AL was

0.16 ± 0.06 mm, SE — 0.31 ± 0.08 D. With mild myopia, a moderate positive correlation was found between AL and SE (r = +0.372, p = 0.0276); with a moderate degree — no. Refusal of points (28.6%) was more often associated with the transition to MCL with defocus or OCL. 

Conclusions. Glasses with DIMS lenses were effective in slowing the progression of myopia. Patients with mild myopia showed a moderate positive correlation between axial length and spheroequivalent, in contrast to the group with moderate myopia, which may indicate differences in the mechanisms of progression. Refusal of glasses was more often associated with the transition to alternative methods of correction (MCL with defocus or OCL), emphasizing the importance of an individual approach and the possibility of choice to increase adherence to therapy.

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