Research into refractive errors

Efforts to reduce the progression of myopia in children are increasing due to an ever-higher incidence of myopia and its associated complications across the world. Interventions aim to reduce myopia, and include environmental considerations, glasses, contact lenses and pharmacological agents.  

One of the interventions being researched is the use of low concentrations of topical atropine in children, which has demonstrated effective control of myopia with minimal side effects. 

To a lesser degree, soft bifocal contact lenses have also been shown to be effective in reducing the progression of myopia, although compliance is a problem in children.   

Orthokeratology lenses (rigid lenses that flatten the cornea while sleeping) have also been shown to be effective in reducing eyeball length and the progression of myopia, although there is no long-term data on their other effects and the possible infectious complications caused by direct trauma to the cornea. 

Recently, trifocal intraocular lenses, or extended depth of focus (EDoF) lenses, have been introduced to substitute the eye’s natural lens (whether transparent or with cataracts), which are able to correct refractive errors (myopia, hypermetropia and/or presbyopia). In these studies, the intraocular lenses provide good visual acuity at all distances, a high percentage of independence from glasses, and little to no impact of visual symptoms in the patients’ day-to-day functioning. Near vision was statistically better for trifocal lenses compared to EDoF lenses.