Initial benefits of dual-focus soft contact lenses fade over time in managing childhood myopia

Although dual-focus soft contact lenses (DFSCL) showed a significant reduction in axial length growth during the initial 3 months of wear in school-age children with myopia during a recent study, these benefits did not continue throughout the subsequent 9 months.

The randomized controlled trial involved Chinese children aged 8 to 12, with spherical equivalent refraction (SER) between -0.75D and -4.00D. Participants wore either single-vision spectacles (SVS; n = 30) or daily disposable +2.00 D defocus MiSight DFSCL (n = 28). Follow-up examinations occurred every 3 months over a 12-month period to measure changes in axial length (AL) growth and SER.

The DFSCL group experienced less axial length growth (0.23 ± 0.03 mm) compared to the SVS group (0.33 ± 0.02 mm), showing a statistically significant difference (P = 0.004). However, no significant change in SER was observed between the groups.

Initial wear of DFSCL was associated with temporary near vision blurriness, and extended use led to increased reports of discomfort, such as dryness and itchiness.

Reference
Chen Y, Yang B, Kou J, Liu L. Impact of wearing dual-focus soft contact lenses on myopia progression: a one-year randomized clinical trial in Chinese school-age children. BMC Ophthalmol. 2024;24(1):426. doi: 10.1186/s12886-024-03678-1. PMID: 39350093.