A real-world study of Chinese children and adolescents has concluded that RLRL therapy provides promising long-term efficacy and safety in myopia control over three years.
The study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, was an international one led by Chinese researchers and included the contribution of the Centre for Eye Research Australia and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.
The multi-centre research involved 362 myopic children and adolescents undergoing RLRL treatment: 90 were treated for between 0.5 and one year (median 0.64 year), 91 for between one and two years (median 1.40 years), 90 for between two and three years (median 2.30 years) and 91 for over three years (median 3.65 years).
The satisfactory myopia control rate (defined as annual axial elongation ≤0.10 mm) was 72.53% (95% CI 62.17 to 81.37) over ≥3 years of RLRL treatment, with annual axial length (AL) change of 0.06 mm/year (95% CI 0.03 to 0.08).
In terms of annualised change in AL, the changes were -0.22mm axial shortening (0.5-1 years), -0.07mm (1-2 years), 0.008mm (minimal at 2-3 years) and 0.06mm (at >3 years), which even then remained at <0.1mm/year.
The study said that no subjective visual function damage was observed in best-corrected visual acuity, and there were no treatment duration-related changes in ffERG across the four groups.
No adverse or serious events were reported.
A minimal, reversible optical coherence tomography change was noted in four eyes which did not impact visual function.
The authors said the study confirmed sustained RLRL efficacy, with greater than 70% satisfactory myopia control and annual axial elongation of 0.06 mm/year over more than 3 years.
“It provides the first real-world evidence of long-term RLRL effectiveness in axial elongation management,” they said.
“Compared with other anti-myopia treatments with ≥2 year follow-up, RLRL appears superior.”
