A new study has found that spectacle lenses using Highly Aspherical Lenslet Target (HALT) technology may slow the progression of myopia of prematurity (MOP) in children born preterm and previously affected by retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
Published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, the retrospective study evaluated 58 children who had been born prematurely and followed for at least 12 months. Researchers compared outcomes in children wearing HALT spectacle lenses with those wearing conventional single-vision lenses.
MOP is a refractive condition that develops in individuals born prematurely, particularly those with a history of ROP. Children with MOP are at increased risk of developing high myopia and associated complications, including retinal detachment, glaucoma and early cataract.
In the study, 20 children wore HALT lenses while 38 wore standard single-vision lenses. The two groups were similar at baseline in terms of age at prescription, gestational age, birth weight, ROP type and treatment history.
After 12 months, the HALT group showed significantly lower myopia progression and axial length elongation compared with the standard lens group. Myopia progressed by −0.32 ± 0.20 dioptres in the HALT group versus −0.93 ± 0.34 D in the standard group. Axial length increased by 0.12 ± 0.05 mm in the HALT group compared with 0.46 ± 0.09 mm in the standard group.
Differences between the two groups were statistically significant at both six and 12 months. The authors reported that these differences remained significant even after adjusting for gestational age, birth weight, ROP type, ROP treatment and age at spectacle prescription.
According to the researchers, the findings suggest the optical characteristics of HALT lenses were the primary factor influencing reduced progression, rather than differences in clinical characteristics between groups.
Adherence to spectacle wear was high in both groups, and no adverse effects such as blur, dizziness or headaches were reported during the study period.
The authors noted that MOP is a multifactorial condition linked to low birth weight, early gestational age and ROP severity, and that prematurely born individuals remain at risk of myopia even without ROP. Given the growing survival rates of preterm infants, the prevalence of MOP is expected to rise, making effective interventions increasingly important.
However, the study had several limitations, including its retrospective design, relatively small sample size and short follow-up period. The authors said longer-term studies are needed to confirm whether short-term reductions in myopia progression translate into sustained benefits.
They concluded that HALT lenses represent a “promising, non-invasive intervention” for slowing MOP progression in this high-risk population and suggested further research in selected subgroups at risk of severe myopia.
