Eye growth pattern of myopic children wearing spectacle lenses with aspherical lenslets compared with non‐myopic children

Abstract Introduction To evaluate eye growth of children wearing spectacle lenses with highly aspherical lenslets (HAL), slightly aspherical lenslets (SAL) and single‐vision lenses (SVL) compared to eye growth patterns in non‐myopes in Wenzhou, China. Methods The randomised trial had 170 myopic children (aged 8–13 years) randomly assigned to the HAL, SAL or SVL group. Normal eye growth was examined using 700 non‐myopic schoolchildren (aged 7–9 years) in the Wenzhou Medical University‐Essilor Progression and Onset of Myopia (WEPrOM) cohort study using logistic function models. Slow, normal and fast eye growth was defined as range of values <25th, 25th–75th and >75th percentiles, respectively. Results The predicted upper limits of slow eye growth (25th percentile) among non‐myopes aged 7–10 years and 11–13 years were 0.20–0.13 and 0.08–0.01 mm (after 2‐year period; 0.37–0.33 and 0.29–0.14 mm), respectively, while the upper limits of normal eye growth (75th percentile) were 0.32–0.31 and 0.28–0.10 mm (after 2‐year period; 0.58–0.55 and 0.50–0.24 mm), respectively. The 2‐year trial had 157 children, 96 of whom wore their lenses full time (everyday ≥12 h/day). The mean 2‐year axial length change for HAL, SAL and SVL was 0.34, 0.51 and 0.69 mm (0.28, 0.46 and 0.69 mm in full‐time wear), respectively. Slow eye growth was found in 35%, 17% and 2% (44%, 29% and 3% in full‐time wear); normal eye growth in 35%, 26% and 12% (44%, 32% and 9% in full‐time wear) and fast eye growth in 30%, 57% and 86% (12%, 39% and 88% in full‐time wear), respectively ( p < 0.001). Conclusions The eye growth pattern in approximately 90% wearing HAL full time (compared with about 10% wearing SVL full time) was similar or slower than that of non‐myopic children both after 1‐ and 2‐year periods.