| Abstract [eng] |
Myopia is one of the most common refractive errors and has become a major public health concern. Its prevalence has been increasing rapidly worldwide in recent years, particularly in East and Southeast Asia. It is estimated that by 2050, around half of the global population will be affected by myopia, with high myopia accounting for up to 10% of those cases. Its early onset increases the risk of rapid progression, the development of high-degree myopia, and various eye complications. Myopia has a negative impact on both individual and public health levels and poses various psychological, social, and economic challenges. Aim of the study – to evaluate methods for slowing the progression of myopia based on recent scientific literature. Objectives: 1. Review the epidemiology, risk factors, and prevention strategies of myopia. 2. Discuss the clinical effects and underlying mechanisms of methods used to slow myopia progression. 3. Evaluate which monotherapy approaches provide the optimal balance between efficacy and safety, and determine when the best therapeutic effects are achieved. 4. Identify the most common adverse effects associated with myopia control methods and the circumstances in which regression may occur. Research methods. The literature search was conducted using the international database “PubMed” and the scientific search engine “Google Scholar”. The following keywords and their combinations were used: “myopia”, “progression”, “treatment”, “spectacle lenses”, “contact lenses”, and “atropine”. This review includes 85 sources published between 2016 and 2026, as well as 9 additional sources older than 10 years. A descriptive analysis was performed to examine the selected studies. Results. The progression of myopia can be slowed by interventions that stabilize axial length growth, most commonly through the mechanism of peripheral defocus. Multifocal spectacle lenses have been shown to reduce myopia progression by 29–55% and axial length elongation by 26–62%, making them among the most effective and safest methods for myopia control. Multifocal soft contact lenses reduce myopia progression by 15–67% and axial length growth by 12–63%. As the additional peripheral power increases, both efficacy and the frequency of side effects tend to increase. Orthokeratology lenses reduce axial length growth by 43–63%. However, they may be associated with serious complications, and myopia progression often resumes after treatment discontinuation. The effect of atropine eye drops is concentration-dependent: higher concentrations (0.5–1%) are more effective in slowing progression but are associated with more side effects and a greater rebound effect after cessation. Combining spectacle or contact lenses with 0.01% concentration of atropine has been shown to enhance the therapeutic effect by approximately one-third. Conclusions. The global prevalence of myopia, driven by both genetic and environmental factors, is increasing, along with the risk of associated complications. Therefore, slowing the progression of this refractive error is essential. Defocus spectacle lenses have the optimal balance of efficacy and safety, followed closely by 0.05% atropine drops and multifocal contact lenses. The best therapeutic effect can be achieved by combining optical interventions with 0.01% atropine eye drops. Adverse effects of myopia control methods are generally short-lived and clinically insignificant. A rebound effect is observed after discontinuation of orthokeratology lenses and atropine eye drops. |
