Die Anwendbarkeit und Verträglichkeit der Tageslichttherapie bei Kindern mit Myopie: eine Pilotstudie

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the feasibility and tolerability of morning bright light therapy (BLT) in children with myopia. Additionally, any potential benefits of morning BLT in reducing myopia progression will be explored. Material and Methods: This was a pilot study exploring the tolerability and feasibility of BLT. A total of 15 children (7 - 13 years) attended two visits, 6 months apart in either the BLT group, myopia management spectacles or contact lenses and BLT (BLT-MMI) group or the control group. Questionnaires collected data on tolerability and feasibility of BLT. A weekly paper diary on compliance was completed. Ocular measures included axial length, vitreous chamber depth, spherical equivalent refraction (SER) and subfoveal choroidal thickness. Results: Children were, on average, 9 years old (SD 1.6 years), baseline SER −1.86 D (0.62 D), baseline axial length 24.67 mm (0.83 mm), 53.3 % female and 53.3 % white. BLT (control n = 4, BLT n = 4, BLT-MMI n = 7) was used on average 84 % (SD 12 %) of the time with compliance poorest over school holidays. There was one report of occasional eyestrain, 91 % of parents reported BLT was easy to use routinely and 91 % of children were happy to use BLT. There was no difference in the change in ocular measures between groups (all p ≥ 0.07). Conclusion: BLT provides a tolerable and feasible intervention with good compliance. Future research should consider closer monitoring of compliance over the school holidays. The current analyses were limited by the small sample size and therefore research is required to explore the efficacy of BLT in myopic children both as a standalone and a combination therapy.