Axial length monitoring may help assess myopia control success in clinical practice

Monitoring axial length (AL) progression before treatment may help predict the effectiveness of optical myopia control interventions, according to a study.

Researchers evaluated 128 eyes from 64 pediatric patients who used defocus incorporated multiple segments (DIMS) spectacle lenses, dual-focus, multifocal, or orthokeratology contact lenses.

Overall, 33% of eyes were classified as having a successful treatment outcome, and 32% achieved the average AL reduction rate observed in similar clinical studies. The mean age-adjusted reduction in AL progression was 0.11 mm per year.

Regression analyses identified a significant model only when success was evaluated using an individual-based AL change method. In that analysis, a faster AL progression rate before treatment was the sole significant predictor of a greater reduction in AL growth during intervention.

The investigators noted substantial variability in treatment response and an overall success rate of 33%. They concluded that tracking AL progression before initiating treatment may offer advantages for predicting and measuring outcomes in children undergoing optical myopia management.

Reference
Day M, Kearney S. Optical myopia control interventions: Evaluation of methods and success in a real-world population. Optom Vis Sci. 2026;103(6):e70075. doi: 10.1002/ovs2.70075. PMID: 42323277.