[The influence of different means of myopia correction on peripheral refraction depending on the direction of gaze]
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 6, 2026

Binocular Dynamic Visual Acuity in Eyeglass-Corrected Myopic Patients
Published on: March 29, 2022
E P Tarutta1, N A Tarasova1, S V Milash1
1Helmholtz Moscow Research Institute of Eye Diseases, 14/19 Sadovaya-Chernogryazskaya St., Moscow, Russian Federation, 105062.
Introduction:
Peripheral defocus was experimentally found to control the development of refraction.
Purpose:
To evaluate peripheral refraction (PR) of myopic eyes in terms of different means of correction and the direction of gaze.
Material And Methods:
The study examined 128 patients (256 eyes) aged 8-14 years (average 11.07±0.39 years) with myopia from -1.0 to -7.0 (average -3.57±0.27 D). PR was measured without correction, in perifocal (PF), monofocal (MF), progressive glasses (PAL), monofocal soft contact lenses (ΜCL) and after orthokeratological (OCL) correction with the gaze directed straightforward or head angled outward, inward, upward and downward; all measurements were performed using binocular open-field auto ref/keratometer.
Results:
PR profile without correction and with contact (OCL, ΜCL) correction does not depend on the direction of the gaze. In glasses, peripheral defocus is different with straightforward and skewed gaze directions. OCL forms a significant myopic defocus throughout the periphery of the retina. When using MCL, hyperopic defocus increases in all zones except the extreme temporal. In MF glasses, hyperopic defocus is formed and enhanced in all areas, significantly greater with skewed gaze than with straightforward. In PALs, myopic defocus is formed with gaze directed upward and downward, as well as at the extreme temporal periphery of the retina with straightforward gaze. In all other zones, hypermetropic defocus increases. In PF, in most zones myopic defocus is formed with all gaze directions. The greatest inhibitory effect on myopia progression is provided by OCL (YPR=0.28 D/year) and PF glasses (YPR=0.26 D/year).
Conclusion:
In contrast to correction with contact lenses, PR in glasses does depend on the direction of gaze. The inhibitory effect of the optics correlates with correction of hypermetropic defocus in myopic eyes.
Related Concept Videos
Focusing of Light in the Eye
Angle Closure Glaucoma: Treatment
Influence of Earth's Curvature and Atmospheric Refraction on Leveling
Open Angle Glaucoma: Treatment
Drugs such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, α2- and...
Depth Perception and Spatial Vision
Glaucoma: Overview

