HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: iovs.08-2067v1 49/11/4702    most recent Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Walline, J. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Walline, J. J.

A Randomized Trial of the Effect of Soft Contact Lenses on Myopia Progression in Children

¹From the Ohio State University College of Optometry, Columbus, Ohio; the ²University of Houston College of Optometry, Houston, Texas; and the ³New England College of Optometry, Boston, Massachusetts.

PURPOSE. Soft contact lenses have been reported to increase the progression of myopia. The purpose of this study was to determine whether soft contact lenses affect the progression of myopia in children.

METHODS. Children between the ages of 8 and 11 years with –1.00 to –6.00 D myopia and less than 1.00 D astigmatism were randomly assigned to wear soft contact lenses (n = 247) or spectacles (n = 237) for 3 years. Refractive error and corneal curvatures were measured annually by cycloplegic autorefraction, and axial length was measured annually by A-scan ultrasound. Multilevel modeling was used to compare the rate of change of refractive error, corneal curvature, and axial length between spectacle and contact lens wearers.

RESULTS. There was a statistically significant interaction between time and treatment for myopia progression (P = 0.002); the average rate of change was 0.06 D per year greater for contact lens wearers than spectacle wearers. After 3 years, the adjusted difference between contact lens wearers and spectacle wearers was not statistically significant (95% confidence interval [CI] = –0.46 to 0.02). There was no difference between the two treatment groups with respect to change in axial length (ANCOVA, P = 0.37) or change in the steepest corneal curvature (ANCOVA, P = 0.72).

CONCLUSIONS. These data provide reassurance to eye care practitioners concerned with the phenomenon of "myopic creep." Soft contact lens wear by children does not cause a clinically relevant increase in axial length, corneal curvature, or myopia relative to spectacle lens wear. (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00522288.)

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J J Walline, L A Jones, and L T Sinnott Corneal reshaping and myopia progression Br J Ophthalmol, September 1, 2009; 93(9): 1181 - 1185. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]