Efficacy of Single Vision Spectacles Combined with Low-Level Red-Light Therapy in Myopic Amblyopia for Children Aged 4-8

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of Low-Level Red Light(LLRL) therapy for improving amblyopia and controlling myopia in children aged 4-8 years with myopic amblyopia.

A prospective clinical trial with 66 children, conducted from September 2023 to May 2024, included those with Spherical Equivalent Refraction (SER = sphere power + ½ cylinder power) ≤ -0.50 D and astigmatism ≤ 2.50 D, excluding pathological myopia cases. Participants were randomly assigned to Single Vision Spectacle (SVS) or LLRL groups. All wore SVS daily, while the LLRL group also received LLRL therapy (2.0±0.5 mW, 650±10 nm) twice daily. The main outcomes included Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) and myopia progression, assessed by Axial Length(AL) and SER at the 1st, 3rd, and 6th months.

At the six-month follow-up, both groups showed improved BCVA. The LLRL group’s BCVA improved from 0.30 (0.20,0.40) to 0.10 (0.00, 0.30), while the SVS group improved from 0.40 (0.30, 0.40) to 0.30 (0.10, 0.40). Regarding myopia progression, there was no significant change in AL and SER in the LLRL group, while in the SVS group, AL increased from 24.01±0.70 mm to 24.21±0.67 mm, and SER changed from -2.75 (-4.50, -1.75) D to -3.75 (-5.25, -2.00) D. Changes in AL and SER at 1, 3, and 6 months were significantly lower in the LLRL group compared to the SVS group.

LLRL and optical correction both treat myopic amblyopia in young children. LLRL accelerates visual acuity improvement and effectively retards axial elongation, better controlling myopia progression compared to optical correction alone.