Diffusion Optics Technology Spectacles Slow Pediatric Myopia Progression in Clinical Study

Diffusion optics technology spectacle lenses significantly slowed the progression of pediatric myopia over two years in Chinese clinical practice, according to a retrospective real-world comparative study. Evaluated under routine clinical circumstances, the optical intervention demonstrated measurable benefits in curbing both refractive error changes and the elongation of the eye compared to conventional single-vision lenses.

The investigation analyzed patient records from a clinical cohort comprising 420 children fitted with diffusion optics technology spectacles and 973 children prescribed single-vision spectacle lenses.

To account for non-randomized treatment assignment and achieve comparable groups, the investigators applied sequential one-to-one propensity score matching across consecutive observation periods. The first propensity score matching procedure balanced baseline characteristics between the diffusion optics technology group and the single-vision group for the year-one analysis, while the second procedure re-matched the year-one characteristics of the treatment cohort against baseline characteristics of the single-vision cohort for year two, achieving standardized mean differences below 0.10 across all matched covariates.

Researchers tracked two primary clinical outcomes to determine therapeutic effectiveness: changes in cycloplegic spherical equivalent refraction, measured in diopters, and changes in axial length, measured in millimeters. Progression rates and treatment efficacy were quantified as absolute between-group differences as well as retardation ratios across each annual interval.

During the first year of treatment, subjects wearing diffusion optics technology spectacles experienced significantly slower myopia progression than those in the single-vision control group. The mean change in spherical equivalent was -0.14 ± 0.46 diopters in the treatment cohort compared to -0.76 ± 0.55 diopters in the control group, representing an 81.5 percent retardation ratio. Concurrently, mean axial length elongation was limited to 0.05 ± 0.22 millimeters with the specialized lenses versus 0.38 ± 0.22 millimeters with single-vision spectacles, yielding an 86.0 percent retardation ratio.

During the second year, the treatment effect remained statistically significant, though overall retardation attenuated relative to the initial twelve months. The spherical equivalent change in year two was -0.24 ± 0.53 diopters for the diffusion optics group compared to -0.73 ± 0.53 diopters for controls, reflecting a 68.0 percent retardation ratio. Axial elongation in the second year averaged 0.17 ± 0.16 millimeters in the treatment group compared to 0.34 ± 0.21 millimeters in the control group, corresponding to a 49.7 percent retardation ratio.

Subgroup analyses indicated that the therapeutic benefit of diffusion optics technology lenses varied by patient profile at baseline, with greater relative control observed among younger children and individuals presenting with lower initial degrees of myopia severity.

The study authors concluded that diffusion optics technology spectacle lenses provide clinically meaningful myopia control over a two-year duration, even as efficacy attenuated during the second year of wear. The investigators also emphasized key methodological limitations, noting that residual confounding and responder selection bias inherent to the retrospective, real-world study design likely inflated the observed treatment effects.

Subject of Research: Diffusion optics technology spectacle lenses for pediatric myopia control

Article Title: The efficacy of diffusion optics technology spectacle lenses in slowing myopia progression: a 2-year retrospective real-world study

Article References: Zhu, Q., Liu, J., Fei, Y., Ma, G., Feng, X., & Song, E. (2026). The efficacy of diffusion optics technology spectacle lenses in slowing myopia progression: a 2-year retrospective real-world study. Frontiers in Medicine, 13, Article 1988169. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2026.1988169

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2026.1988169

Keywords: Diffusion optics technology, Myopia control, Pediatric myopia, Spectacle lenses, Propensity score matching, Real-world evidence, Axial length, Spherical equivalent, Cycloplegic refraction, Ophthalmology, Single-vision lenses, Retardation ratio, Retrospective comparative study, Chinese clinical practice, Myopia progression, Covariate balance