Multifocal contact lenses show early impact on myopia progression in children

Multifocal soft contact lenses (MiSight) influence relative peripheral refraction (RPR) within the first 3 months of wear, which correlates with slower axial length (AL) growth in myopic children, according to a study. However, significant retinal vascular changes take longer, becoming noticeable only after one year.

Researchers followed 44 children over a year, assessing RPR and retinal choroidal vessels at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year using multispectral refraction topography (MRT) and optical coherence tomography angiography.

There were significant reductions in multiple RPR measurements by 3 months, with RPR changes negatively correlating with AL growth. However, retinal vessel volume index changes were only significant at 1 year.

These findings suggest that MRT may be more effective for early detection of myopia control effects, while retinal vascular changes take longer to manifest.

Reference
Xu M, Yang Y, Zhang F, et al. Correlation Between Relative Peripheral Refraction and Efficacy of Myopia Control After Wearing Multifocal Soft Contact Lenses in Children. Ophthalmol Ther. 2025;doi: 10.1007/s40123-025-01096-0. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39992616.