Efficacy of repeated low-level red-light therapy in the prevention and control of myopia in children

Hao Zhang; Mingming Cui; Ying Jie; Ting Chen; Meixia Kang; Wanbing Bai; Baoshi Wang; Yuan Wang

doi:10.1016/j.pdpdt.2024.104216

Efficacy of repeated low-level red-light therapy in the prevention and control of myopia in children

Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther. 2024 May 11:47:104216. doi: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2024.104216. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Hao Zhang¹, Mingming Cui², Ying Jie³, Ting Chen⁴, Meixia Kang⁴, Wanbing Bai⁴, Baoshi Wang⁴, Yuan Wang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Ophthalmology, Capital Institute of Pediatrics Affiliated Children's Hospital, Beijing 100020, China. Electronic address: zhanghaomd@outlook.com.
² Child Health Centre, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing 100020, China.
³ Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China.
⁴ Department of Ophthalmology, Capital Institute of Pediatrics Affiliated Children's Hospital, Beijing 100020, China.

PMID: 38740318
DOI: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2024.104216

Abstract

Objective: In this study, we aimed to determine how different factors influence the effectiveness of repeated low-level red-light (RLRL) therapy in preventing and treating myopia in children.

Methods: Between June 2022 and April 2023, 336 children who visited our hospital due to myopia or significant decreases in hyperopia reserve were enrolled. The children were treated twice daily for three minutes with a head-mounted low-level red-light (single wavelength of 650 nm) therapeutic device. Each of the two treatment sessions was separated by at least four hours. The axial lengths and diopters of the children's eyes were compared before and three months after treatment, and the effects of gender, age, and baseline diopter on the efficacy of RLRL therapy were analyzed.

Results: Following three months of treatment, the average axial length of the eyes decreased by 0.031 mm. The condition was better for the boys than for girls, but the difference was not statistically significant. As age increased (F = 8.112, P = 0.000) or as the absolute value of baseline myopia degree increased (F = 10.51, P = 0.000), axial lengths of the eyes tended to decrease. The spherical equivalent refraction (SER) of children decreased by an average of 0.012 ± 0.355D. The condition was better for the boys than for girls, but the difference was not statistically significant. SER increased in the direction of hyperopic drift as age increased (F = 2.48, P = 0.031), or as the absolute value of baseline myopia degrees increased (F = 6.835, P = 0.000). There were no obvious side effects following the treatment.

Conclusion: This study showed that RLRL therapy is a potential efficient, easily operable, and practically feasible method for the prevention and control of myopia.

Keywords: Age; Axial length of the eyes; Baseline refractive power; Low Level Light; Low-level red light (LRL); Myopia.