Wavelength Intervention for Nearsighted Kids

Myopia (nearsightedness) is a major public health concern. The prevalence of myopia continues to rise globally, including in the United States. Myopia develops when the eye grows excessively long for its optics, producing out-of-focus images of distant objects on the retina. Blurry distant vision in myopia can be easily corrected by traditional optical and surgical means. However, these methods do nothing to slow myopia-associated excessive axial elongation of the eye which is a major risk factor for several sight-threatening ocular pathologies, such as myopia maculopathy and retinal detachment later in life. Interventions to slow axial elongation and therefore myopia will have a significant public health benefit.

This randomized controlled clinical trial will test the efficacy of wearing specialized soft contact lenses in slowing the progression of myopia in children. In this pilot trial, children with myopia will wear daily use, daily disposable, single-vision soft contact lenses in both eyes for one year. One group will wear a single type of soft contact lens full-time daily whereas the other group will wear two types of soft contact lenses daily at alternate times. The two lenses are identical in material, comfort, and lens geometry and different only in their spectral profile.

Inclusion criteria

• Spherical component of refractive error in primary meridian between -0.75 and -5.00 D
• Less than 1.00 D of astigmatism or anisometropia
• History of soft contact lens wear for at least a week
• Best-corrected visual acuity of 20/25 (+0.10 logMAR) or better in each eye
• Willingness to wear the lenses for a minimum of 10 hours/day, at least six days a week for the duration of the study

Exclusion criteria

• Subjects receiving myopia control treatments within the past six months
• History of premature (less than 3.3 lb) or preterm birth (earlier than 30 weeks)
• Current history of using systemic or ocular medications (including artificial tears) that may affect contact lens wear, tear film health, refractive state, pupillary response or accommodative function
• History of ocular or systemic diseases, including those that may affect refractive development
• Known allergy to fluorescein, benoxinate, proparacaine, or tropicamide
• Contact lens contraindications (e.g., giant papillary keratoconjunctivitis)
• Corneal disorders (e.g., hypoesthesia, keratoconus)
• Strabismus at distance or near with distance glasses or contact lenses
• Subjects exhibiting poor personal hygiene that may affect the compliance of contact lens wear.