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Yi and Park: Long-term Changes in Refractive Error after Spectacle Use
Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2017; 58(5): 563-571.

Published online: 15 May 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2017.58.5.563

Long-term Changes in Refractive Error after Spectacle Use

Myeong Yeon Yi, MD, Song-hee Park, MD, PhD

Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Address reprint requests to Song-hee Park, MD, PhD. Department of Ophthalmology, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, #59 Daesagwan-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 04401, Korea. Tel: 82-2-709-9354, Fax: 82-2-710-3196, scheye@schmc.ac.kr

Received 26 January 2017       Revised 10 March 2017       Accepted 21 April 2017

©2017 The Korean Ophthalmological Society

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the long-term changes in spherical equivalent (SE) refractive error and astigmatism in patients after spectacle use.

Methods

A total of 103 patients with refractive error without strabismus and amblyopia who received at least 3 years of follow-up after using spectacles were included in this study. Patients were divided into groups according to the age at which spectacles were used (<4 years, ≥4 to <7 years, ≥7 years), the initial degree of SE refractive error (<-0.50 diopter [D], -0.50 to +0.75 D, >+0.75 D), and the initial degree of astigmatism (<1.00 D, 1.00 to 3.00 D, ≥ 3.00 D). Changes in the SE refractive error and astigmatism were compared between these groups using mixed linear models..

Results

Patients were followed up for a mean of 9.1 ± 1.6 years. An overall negative shift in SE refractive error and an increasing tendency in astigmatism during follow-up were noted regardless of the age at which spectacles were used (p < 0.001). The myopic group showed the largest negative shift in SE and the largest increase in astigmatism (p < 0.001, p = 0.02 respectively). The low and moderate astigmatism groups were more likely to have significant increases in astigmatism (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Patients with refractive error showed a negative shift in SE and an increasing tendency in astigmatism regardless of the age at which spectacles were used. Changes in SE and astigmatism may be influenced by the initial degree of SE, and the initial degree of astigmatism may influence changes in astigmatism.

Keywords: Astigmatism, Refractive error, Spectacle use, Spherical equivalent

Figures and Tables

Figure 1

Boxplots showing changes of spherical equivalent (SE) refractive error according to the duration of time after the initiation of spectacle treatment. (A-C) Subjects are divided into 3 groups according to the age at which spectacles were used (A, children using spectacles at <4 years of age; B, children using spectacles between 4 and 7 years of age; C, children using spectacles at ≥7 years of age). (D) A regression model of these groups is also presented. D = diopter.

jkos-58-563-g001
Figure 2

Boxplots showing changes of astigmatism according to the duration of time after the initiation of glasses treatment. (A-C) Subjects are divided into 3 groups according to the age at which spectacles were used (A, children using spectacles at <4 years of age; B, children using spectacles between 4 and 7 years of age; C, children using spectacles at ≥7 years of age). (D) A regression model of these groups is also presented. D = diopter.

jkos-58-563-g002
Figure 3

Boxplots showing changes of spherical equivalent (SE) refractive error according to the duration of time after the initiation of spectacle treatment. (A-C) Subjects are divided into 3 groups according to the initial degree of SE (A, myopia group: eyes with an initial SE refractive error of <−0.50 D; B, emmetropia group: eyes with an initial SE refractive error of −0.50 to +0.75 D; C, hyperopia group: eyes with an initial SE refractive error of >+0.75 D). (D) A regression model of these groups is also presented. D = diopter.

jkos-58-563-g003
Figure 4

Boxplots showing changes of astigmatism according to the duration of time after the initiation of spectacle treatment. (A-C) Subjects are divided into 3 groups according to the initial degree of spherical equivalent (SE) (A, myopia group: eyes with an initial SE refractive error of <−0.50 D; B, emmetropia group: eyes with an initial SE refractive error of −0.50 to +0.75 D; C, hyperopia group: eyes with an initial SE refractive error of >+0.75 D). (D) A regression model of these groups is also presented. D = diopter.

jkos-58-563-g004
Figure 5

Boxplots showing changes of astigmatism according to the duration of time after the initiation of spectacle treatment. (A-C) Subjects are divided into 3 groups according to the initial degree of astigmatism (A, mild astigmatic group: eyes with an initial astigmatism of <1.00 D; B, moderate astigmatic group: eyes with an initial astigmatism of 1.00 to 3.00 D; C, severe astigmatic group: eyes with an initial astigmatism of ≥3.00 D). (D) A regression model of these groups is also presented. D = diopter.

jkos-58-563-g005
Table 1

Mean initial spherical equivalent, astigmatism, and length of follow-up

jkos-58-563-i001

Data were presented as mean ± standard deviation for continuous variables and n (%) for categorical variables.

SE = spherical equivalent; D = diopter.

Notes

We would like to thank Bora Lee, of Biostatistic Consulting, Soonchunhyang University Medical Center, for her assistance with the statistical advice throughout the study and preparation of this manuscript

This work was supported by the Soonchunhyang University Research Fund.

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