Bifocals can help slow myopic progression

Bifocal lenses can moderately slow myopia in children with high rates of progression, according to new research published in January's Archives of Ophthalmology.

The authors pointed out that previous studies have shown bifocals and multifocals to be relatively ineffective as myopia control treatments in children, and that myopic progression rate appears to be important in determining the effectiveness of the treatment. Their study aimed to determine whether bifocal and prismatic bifocal spectacles could control myopia in children with high rates of myopic progression, defined as 0.5D or more in the preceding year.

A randomised group of 135 Chinese Canadian children with a mean visual acuity of -3.08D received single-vision lenses, +1.5D executive bifocals, or +1.5D executive bifocals with 3-prism dioptre base-in prism in the near segment. Progression was measured by autorefractor under cycloplegia and increase in axial length was measured by A-scan ultrasonography at six-month intervals for 24 months.