Key Takeaways
- Red-light therapy produced greater macular flattening than 0.01% atropine across all measured regions over 12 months.
- Region-specific scleral shape changes and greater macular asymmetry were observed with red-light therapy.
- Retinal layer thickness changes were similar between the red-light therapy and atropine groups.
Repeated low-level red-light (RLRL) therapy produced greater changes in 3D macular morphology than 0.01% low-dose atropine over 12 months in children with myopia, according to a study.
The secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial included 50 children aged 7 to 15 years who were randomly assigned to receive either RLRL therapy or 0.01% atropine eye drops.
After 12 months, RLRL resulted in significantly greater macular flattening than low-dose atropine in the central, temporal, inferior, superior, and nasal regions. The largest between-group differences were observed centrally. RLRL was associated with region-specific changes in macular outward scleral height and significantly greater increases in nasal-temporal and superior-inferior macular curvature asymmetry than atropine.
No significant differences were found between groups in retinal layer thickness changes.
The authors noted that although RLRL produced broader changes in macular morphology than low-dose atropine, the mechanisms underlying these findings and the independent role of myopia progression require further investigation.
Reference
Zhao Z, Wu Y, Song F, et al. Differences in Posterior Ocular Morphology Following Red Light Therapy Versus 0.01% Atropine for Myopia Control: A Randomized Controlled Trial Analysis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2026;67(8):35. doi: 10.1167/iovs.67.8.35. PMID: 42446481.
Related Content
