Efficacy comparison of 0.01% atropine eye drops combined with defocus incorporated multiple segment spectacle lenses or highly aspherical lenslets in delaying the progression of myopia in adolescents

AIM: To compare the effects of defocus incorporated multiple segments(DIMS)lens with highly aspherical lenslets(HAL)on delaying the progression of myopia in adolescents.METHODS: Clinical randomized controlled study. Totally 301 students aged 7-12 who underwent optometry in our hospital from January 2021 to June 2023 were randomly divided into two groups. The first group consisted of 154 patients who were fitted with DIMS lenses(DIMS group). In the second group, 147 cases were fitted with HAL(HAL group). Both groups used 0.01% atropine eye drops to control myopia and all students wore glasses for more than 12 h every day. The spherical equivalent(SE)and axial length(AL)after rapid mydriasis were recorded. The data of the right eyes were taken, and the results after fitting for 12 mo were compared between the two groups.RESULTS: Multiple linear regression analysis showed that baseline age was significantly correlated with the changes of SE and AL(all P<0.01). After controlling baseline variables, the adjusted changes in SE for 12 mo after wearing glasses in the DIMS group and HAL group were -0.41±0.18 and -0.34±0.13 D, respectively(P<0.001); the changes of AL in the DIMS group and HAL group were 0.31±0.08 and 0.27±0.06 mm, respectively(P<0.001). Patients were divided into younger group(7-9 years old)and older group(10-12 years old). The changes in SE(t=2.250, P=0.025)and AL(t=3.120, P=0.002)of the younger group who wearing DIMS lens were greater than those with HAL after 12 mo, and the same was true in the older group(t=5.931, 5.033, both P<0.001).CONCLUSION: Under the condition of combined use of 0.01% atropine eye drops, HAL is more effective than DIMS lens in controlling myopia diopter and AL of adolescents.