Pilot Study to Assess the Efficacy of Short Exposure to Defocus to Slow the Progression of Myopia in Children

Myopia Clinical Trial

Official title: Pilot Study to Assess the Efficacy of Short Exposure to Defocus to Slow the Progression of Myopia in Children

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The objective of this pilot study is to establish whether brief periods of high levels of acutely imposed myopic defocus can be used to slow the progression of myopia in children, as measured by changes in spherical equivalent refraction and axial length.

Clinical Trial Description

Recent results on animal models of myopia suggest that the eye has the ability to detect the overall sign of defocus of images falling on the retina, with myopic defocus imposed by the fitting of plus-lenses halting or slowing axial elongation of the eye. In the animal models, these STOP growth signals have been shown to be particularly strong - with brief periods of high myopic defocus able to outweigh the effects of prolonged periods of imposed hyperopic defocus in promoting eye growth. These results therefore suggest a novel strategy for preventing the progression of myopia in children - the imposition of high levels of myopia for brief periods of time. This approach is conceptually distinct from under-correction, which imposes chronic mild myopic defocus. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Investigator), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Myopia

• NCT number: NCT00400140
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Singapore National Eye Centre
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: November 2006
• Completion date: October 2008