New Spectacles for Myopia Control

Abstract

Two recent randomized clinical trials have shown good results slowing myopia progression in children with DIMS (Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments) and HALT (Highly Aspherical Lenslet Target) spectacles. In these spectacles, the lenslets are located around a clear 9 mm central zone for distance vision. We know that in Argentina and many other Latin American countries, international costs not only delay the arrival of these products, but also, in the case of beginning their commercialization, the market value could be inaccessible for many of the region's myopic children, therefore, they would not be able to treat his progression of myopia, something that is now considered essential.

The authors propose that these special glasses can be replaced by simpler lenses carved in local conventional optical or digital laboratories which have the possibility of generating multi-faceted or high aspherical optical surfaces. It would only be necessary to generate lenses with a clear "distance vision" central zone for the necessary myopic correction, a small annular transition zone and a peripheral plus-add or hyper aspheric zone that would produce a myopic blur similar to that produced by the design of the special glasses previously tested. Also, different spectacles could be developed that produce blurring of the peripheral retina through laser dots that simulate the Bangerter foils effects. Testing the progression of refractive error with these devices could easily be done if non-governmental organizations, or even governments concerned about the myopia epidemic in Asia, participated in randomized clinical trials of these less expensive glasses for myopia control.

Keywords: Myopia, control, plus add spectacles