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Safety of and chorioretinal circulation during repeated low-level red-light therapy for myopic children
Zhaoxin Jiang1, Shuyu Chen1, Renchun Wang1
1State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Insights
Repeated low-level red-light (RLRL) therapy is safe for children, showing fewer refractive errors. Continuous RLRL therapy enhances choroidal and retinal blood flow over time without adverse effects.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric eye care
- Visual science
Background:
- Myopia progression in children is a significant concern.
- Assessing the safety and efficacy of novel therapeutic interventions is crucial.
- Understanding the impact of red-light therapy on ocular hemodynamics is an emerging area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety of repeated low-level red-light (RLRL) therapy in pediatric myopia.
- To investigate the dynamic changes in choroidal and retinal blood flow during RLRL therapy.
- To compare the effects of RLRL therapy plus single-vision spectacles (SVS) versus SVS alone.
Main Methods:
- A single-center, randomized, single-blind, parallel-group clinical trial involving 70 myopic children.
- Participants were assigned to either RLRL therapy plus SVS or SVS alone.
- Ophthalmic examinations and optical coherence tomography angiography were used to assess refractive error, axial length, fundus structure, visual function, and microcirculation.
Main Results:
- RLRL therapy significantly reduced increases in refractive error and axial length compared to SVS alone (p < 0.05).
- No abnormalities in fundus structure or visual function were detected with RLRL therapy (p > 0.05).
- Continuous RLRL treatment led to a time-dependent increase in choroidal and retinal circulation, peaking at 9 months, with a subsequent decline after cessation.
Conclusions:
- Nine months of continuous RLRL exposure is safe for children, with no toxic side effects on retinal or optic nerve function.
- RLRL therapy demonstrates a cumulative, time-dependent effect on enhancing choroidal and retinal circulation.
- RLRL therapy shows promise as an effective intervention for myopia control in children.
Background:
To evaluate the safety of repeated low-level red-light (RLRL) therapy in children, and the dynamic evolution of choroidal and retinal blood flow.
Methods:
This is a single-centre, randomised, single-blind, parallel-group clinical trial. Seventy myopic children were randomly assigned to either the intervention group [receiving RLRL therapy plus single-vision spectacle (SVS)] or the control group (wearing SVS). Participants underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examinations following their first irradiation, 9 months continuous RLRL therapy and stop of treatment. Quantitative analyses of choroidal and retinal microcirculation were analysed via optical coherence tomography angiography.
Results:
Over 9 months of treatment, while the RLRL treatment demonstrated significantly less increases in refractive error and axial length compared with the SVS treatment (ps < 0.05), no abnormalities in fundus structure or visual function (mfERG, VEP and microperimetry) were detected (ps > 0.05). A single red-light exposure did not exert a significant influence on choroidal thickness (ps > 0.05). Upon continuous treatment, the RLRL group achieved peak values in these circulations at 9 months (ps < 0.05). Following cessation of exposure, all circulations exhibited a declining trend, reaching similar levels in both groups (ps > 0.05). As the frequency of red-light exposures intensified, there was a consistent surge in these circulations (ps < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Nine months of continuous RLRL exposure does not cause toxic side effects on retinal or optic nerve functions, and there is a time-dependent cumulative response in choroidal and retinal circulation.
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