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Investigators recorded about a 30% reduction in prescription deterioration among children using the specialized lenses.
By Shula Rosen
Children who wear specialized eyeglass lenses designed to alter how light reaches the edges of the retina experienced a marked slowdown in worsening nearsightedness, according to a two-year Israeli clinical study conducted at Assuta Medical Centers and Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, The Jerusalem Post reports.
The research followed more than 100 children between ages 6 and 12 with myopia ranging from minus 1 to minus 5. Participants were divided into two groups: one used standard glasses, while the other wore lenses based on peripheral defocus technology known as Myoslow.
Investigators recorded about a 30% reduction in prescription deterioration among children using the specialized lenses, along with a roughly 24% decrease in the rate of eyeball elongation, a key biological factor in the progression of myopia.
Doctors involved in the study said the physical lengthening of the eye, rather than simply a change in lens strength, is what raises the risk of later complications such as retinal detachment, glaucoma, macular damage, and potential vision loss. The lenses work by creating a distinct focus at the retina’s edges, which sends what researchers describe as a “braking signal” to limit further elongation. The approach is optical, noninvasive, and does not involve medication.
Younger children benefited most. Those aged 6 to 9 showed a clearer and more significant reduction in progression compared with older participants, suggesting early intervention may have a stronger long-term effect.
Researchers also evaluated comfort and daily functioning. Children adapted quickly to the lenses, with almost no reported side effects and no measurable difference in visual quality, school performance, sports activity, or social life compared with the control group.
Dr. Shiri Shulman of Assuta said, “The ability to slow progression already at an early stage is critical, and the technology examined in the study offers an evidence-based, non-invasive solution.” Prof. Tamara Wygnanski-Jaffe of Sheba emphasized the need for early monitoring due to the long-term risks associated with advanced myopia.
The lenses are primarily intended for school-age children with mild to moderate nearsightedness and do not replace medical follow-up. Researchers stressed the intervention slows progression but does not cure the condition.
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