Measuring Treatment Adherence in Myopia Control: Current Practices and Future Directions

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Optometry
• Clinical Research Methodology

Background:

• Treatment adherence is vital for assessing the efficacy of interventions for progressive childhood myopia.
• Inconsistent measurement and reporting of adherence in myopia control trials compromise the reliability of findings on treatment effectiveness, dose-response, and safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of methods for measuring treatment adherence.
• To examine how adherence has been assessed in studies of myopia control interventions.
• To identify methodological trends and gaps in adherence assessment in pediatric myopia research.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review approach was employed.
• Literature searches were conducted for studies published between 2014 and 2024.
• Inclusion criteria focused on studies reporting adherence outcomes in pediatric myopia control interventions, with reference list scanning for additional relevant articles.

Main Results:

• Direct adherence measures are often impractical in myopia control research, leading to inconsistent reporting.
• Most studies predominantly rely on indirect methods, primarily self-reported data, due to limitations in electronic monitoring and dosage accuracy.
• Significant gaps exist in standardized and reliable adherence assessment across myopia control trials.

Conclusions:

• Prioritizing treatment adherence as a key outcome in myopia control research is essential.
• Selecting context-appropriate, bias-minimizing methods for adherence measurement is recommended.
• Improved adherence assessment will enhance the understanding of treatment efficacy and inform clinical practice for managing childhood myopia.