Soft Multifocal Contact Lenses Slow Myopia Progression

Extended depth of focus soft multifocal contact lenses significantly slow myopia progression, according to a study published in Clinical Ophthalmology. 

Researchers retrospectively analyzed data from 196 patients (51.5% women; mean age, 12.3±2.7 years) presenting to 15 eye care practices over a period of 6 years. All patients had myopia progression of −0.50 diopters (D) or more upon presentation and were fit with the extended depth of focus soft multifocal lens. A subgroup analysis was conducted comparing study findings with data from the Bifocal Lenses In Nearsighted Kids (BLINK; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02255474) and Efficacy and Safety of MiSight ® Contact Lenses in Reducing the Progression of Childhood Myopia (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01917110) trials. 

Among the study group individuals, spherical equivalent ranged from +0.10 to −11.60 diopters (D), and mean annual myopic progression was −0.98±0.78 D. The average annual axial length change was 0.30±1.2 millimeters (mm), and all participants had at least −0.50D of progression in at least one eye prior to being fit with the extended depth of focus soft multifocal lens.

After wearing the lenses for 6 to 72 months, study group participants experienced a slowing in myopia progression by approximately 0.84 D (85%) compared with baseline (P <.0001). 

Overall, 91% of extended depth of focus wearers had a decrease in myopia progression compared with baseline, with 79% of wearers experiencing a 70% or greater reduction in progression. The average change in axial length in a subset of the population was 0.10 mm/year over 47 months.

When compared with changes in the age- and ethnicity-matched control group, myopic refractive error progression and axial elongation were significantly lower in the study group at 12, 24 and 36 months (P <.001). Researchers predicted that the cumulative absolute reduction of axial elongation (CARE) value over 3 years would be 0.45 mm based on this data, according to the report. 

Investigators state that the “daily disposable soft contact lenses exhibited significant reductions in myopia progression over an extended follow-up period of 6 years (72 months),” and determined that “[t]he results are in agreement with previous analyses of optical interventions to slow the progression of myopia.”

Study limitations include the use of different instrumentation within different clinical practices and inconsistencies in using cycloplegic refraction.   

Disclosure: This research was supported by Visioneering Technologies, Inc. Several study authors declared affiliations with biotech, pharmaceutical, and/or clinical research organizations. Please see the original reference for a full list of authors’ disclosures.  

Reference

Cooper J, O’Connor B, Aller T, Dillehay SM, Weibel K, Benoit D. Reduction of myopic progression using a multifocal soft contact lens: a retrospective cohort study. Clin Ophthalmol. Published online July 4, 2022. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S370041