Myopia Control Using Bright Light Therapy, Myopic Defocus and Atropine

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of bright light therapy, myopic defocus, atropine and the combination in myopia control in schoolchildren.

The present study is a multi-arm randomised clinical trial with a 24-month duration. Subjects will be healthy Hong Kong Chinese schoolchildren with low to moderate myopia. The aims are to determine the clinical effectiveness of bright light therapy on inhibiting myopia progression in schoolchildren, and to determine whether combination therapy using bright light therapy (BLT) and myopic defocus is more effective than monotherapy. Study population Seven hundred and sixty Hong Kong Chinese children (152 in each) of A. Control group, B. BLT only group, C. BLT and Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) group, D. BLT and atropine 0.01% group) and E. Atropine 0.01% group aged 7-12 years old will be recruited. They must not have had prior or current myopia control treatment, have no ocular or systemic diseases/abnormalities that affect visual function, refractive development or spectacle lens wear, and no previous intraocular or corneal surgery. They must not have allergy to atropine. The eligible subjects will be randomly assigned into one of the four groups. Their cycloplegic refraction and axial length will be monitored every six months for 2 years. The changes in refractive errors and axial length between groups will be compared.