Defocus incorporated multiple segments (DIMS) spectacle lenses can slow myopia progression in children without accelerating astigmatism, according to a prospective cohort study published in Scientific Reports.
Researchers from the Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, China, analysed 396 myopic children aged six to 12 years over 12 months. Participants were divided into two groups: 192 children wearing DIMS lenses and 204 wearing single-vision lenses.
After one year, the DIMS group showed significantly slower myopia progression. The mean annual change in spherical equivalent was −0.30 ± 0.45D in the DIMS group, compared with −0.95 ± 0.57D in the single-vision group. Axial length elongation was also lower among DIMS wearers (0.16 ± 0.20 mm) than in the control group (0.41 ± 0.21 mm).
The study’s main focus, however, was the effect of DIMS lenses on astigmatism. Investigators found no clinically meaningful difference between the two groups. Annual changes in diopter cylinder were −0.17 ± 0.28D in the DIMS group and −0.20 ± 0.38D in the control group. Changes in corneal astigmatism were also similar between groups.
Vector analysis and multivariate modelling confirmed that lens type did not significantly influence astigmatism progression. Instead, baseline ocular characteristics – particularly initial corneal astigmatism – were more strongly associated with subsequent changes.
Approximately 27.6% of children in the DIMS group and 27.9% in the control group experienced a one-year diopter cylinder change of at least 0.50D, with no statistically significant difference between groups.
The authors noted that previous research on peripheral defocus spectacle lenses has reported increased astigmatism in some cases, but the current study found DIMS lenses had a minimal independent impact on astigmatic change.
They concluded that DIMS lenses appear to be an effective and safe myopia control option that does not accelerate astigmatism progression. However, they cautioned that the sample size and follow-up period were limited, and called for larger, long-term randomised trials to further investigate the relationship between peripheral defocus lenses and astigmatism.
The study was published on 26 January, 2026.
