Relative Peripheral Refractive Error Research Articles

Orthokeratology combined with spectacles in moderate to high myopia adolescents

PurposeWearing ortho-k lenses overnight may not fully correct their daytime refractory errors of adolescents with moderate to high myopia. There are three common ways to deal with the daytime residual refractive error (RRE): 1) wearing spectacles to correct the RRE; 2) wear ortho-k lenses during the daytime instead of overnight.; 3) not correcting the residual refractive error. According to previous laboratory studies, myopic peripheral refraction is associated with better myopic control. This study had two aims:1) to compare relative peripheral refractive error (RPRE) among these ways after one-month stabilization; 2) to assess the axial length changes over 2 years of ortho-k lens overnight wear combined with spectacle glasses. MethodsThis was a prospective, non-controlled, non-randomized, observational study in which a total of 27 subjects (20 females, 7 males, mean age 12.48 ± 2.23Y) with spherical equivalent refractive error from −5.00 to −8.25D were enrolled. All participants in the study wore orthokeratology (ortho-k) lenses overnight for a minimum of one month. Subsequently, their peripheral refractive error (PRE) was assessed using an open-field autorefractor. During the assessment, the participants underwent three conditions in a random order in a same morning: 1) unaided eye after orthokeratology (referred to as the Unaided-eye condition), 2) wearing glasses to correct any remaining refractive errors after orthokeratology (referred to as the Spec-RE condition), and 3) wearing ortho-k lenses during the daytime (referred to as the Continuous OK wear condition). After testing, all subjects were instructed to wear ortho-k lenses overnight and glasses during the daytime to correct their RRE for the next 2 years, during which time the progression of their axial length was followed up. Results1) RPRE in either Unaided-eye or Spec-RE condition subjects were significantly more myopic than those in the Continuous OK wear condition. 2) No difference in RPRE was seen between Unaided-eye and Spec-RE conditions. 3) Axial length growth was 0.05 ± 0.20 mm and 0.17 ± 0.32 mm (mean ± standard deviation) at 1-year and 2-year follow-ups after the initial visit, respectively, which were comparable to mild myopia patients after orthokeratology. 4) After orthokeratology, axial length change had negative correlation with the initial age (p = 0.001, r = −0.616) and residual diopter (p = 0.022). ConclusionsFor myopes above refraction < −5.00D, wearing Ortho-k lenses overnight and glasses to correct the RRE in the daytime is recommended to ensure good visual quality and have more myopic RPRE for potential myopia control.

The Effect of Accommodation on Peripheral Refraction under Two Illumination Conditions

The clinical importance of peripheral refraction as a function of accommodation has become increasingly evident in the last years with special attention given to myopia control. Low order ocular aberrations were measured with a Hartmann–Shack aberrometer in a sample of 28 young emmetropic subjects. A stationary Maltese cross was presented at 2.5 D and 5.0 D of accommodative demand and at 0°, 10° and 20° of eccentricity in the horizontal visual field under two different illumination conditions (white and red light). Wavefront data for a 3 mm pupil diameter were analyzed in terms of the vector components of refraction (M, J0 and J45) and the relative peripheral refractive error (RPRE) was calculated. M was myopic at both accommodative demands and showed a statistically significant myopic increase with red illumination. No significant change in J0 and J45 was found with accommodation nor between illumination conditions. However, J0 increased significantly with eccentricity, exhibiting a nasal-temporal asymmetry. The RPRE was myopic at both accommodation demands and showed a statistically significant hyperopic shift at 20° in the nasal retina. The use of red light introduced statistically and clinically significant changes in M, explained by the variation of the ocular focal length under a higher wavelength illumination, increasing the experimental accommodative demand. These findings may be of relevance for research exploring peripheral refraction under accommodation, as the choice of target illumination is not trivial.

Inverting peripheral hyperopic defocus into myopic defocus among myopic schoolchildren using addition power of multifocal contact lens.

PURPOSE:The purpose was to determine the minimum near-addition power needed using Proclear® multifocal D-Design contact lens (adds: +1.50 D, +2.50 D, +3.00 D, and +3.50 D) to invert the pattern of relative hyperopic defocus in the peripheral retina into relative myopic defocus among the eyes of myopic schoolchildren.METHODS:Twenty-seven right eyes (24 females and 3 males) of 27 myopic schoolchildren aged between 13 and 15 years were included in this study. The measurements of central refraction, peripheral refraction (between 35° temporal and 35° nasal visual field in 5° steps), and lag of accommodation were conducted using the Grand-Seiko WR-5100K open-field autorefractometer initially without correction (WC), followed by with correction using four different addition powers of Proclear® multifocal D-Design contact lens in random sequence. Axial length was measured using a handheld probe ultrasound A-scan (Tomey AL-2000).RESULTS:The relative peripheral refractive error showed high hyperopic defocus of +1.08 ± 1.24 D at 35° nasal and +1.06 ± 1.06 D at 35° temporal visual field WC. All Proclear multifocal contact lenses (MFCLs) decreased the peripheral hyperopic defocus with increasing addition powers (F [2.938, 47.001] = 13.317, P < 0.001). However, only +3.00 D addition and +3.50 D addition (P = 0.001) could invert the peripheral hyperopic defocus into peripheral myopic defocus. Apart from that, the +3.00 D addition lens showed the lowest lag of accommodation (+1.10 ± 0.83 D) among the other MFCL adds (P = 0.002).CONCLUSION:A +3.00 D addition Proclear MFCL is the optimal addition power that can invert the pattern of peripheral hyperopic defocus into myopic defocus.

Relative Peripheral Myopia Induced by Fractal Contact Lenses

ABSTRACT Purpose To assess the peripheral refraction induced by Fractal Contact Lenses (FCLs) in myopic eyes by means of a two-dimensional Relative Peripheral Refractive Error (RPRE) map. Materials and Methods This study involved 26 myopic subjects ranging from −0.50 D to −7.00 D. FCLs prototypes were custom-manufactured and characterized. Corneal topographies were taken in order to assess correlations between corneal asphericity and lens decentration. Two-dimensional RPREs were measured with an open-field autorefractor at 67 points, covering the central 60 × 30 degrees of the visual field. The bidimensional RPRE vector components: M, J0 and J45 of the difference between the values obtained with and without the FCLs in the eye were obtained. Additionally, the FCL-induced peripheral refraction in tangential and sagittal planes was computed along the horizontal meridian. Results Induced by the FCLs, significant differences for all vector components were found in the peripheral retina. FCLs were decentered a mean of 0.7 ± 0.19 mm to the temporal cornea. The two-dimensional RPRE maps manifested the FCLs decentration. In particular, M varied asymmetrically between nasal and temporal retina after fitting the FCLs with a significant increment of the myopic shift beyond 10º (p < 0.05). No correlations were found between the amount of lens decentration and the asphericity of the cornea along temporal and nasal sides. However, significant correlations were found between the corneal asphericity and vector components of the RPRE in naked eyes. FCLs produced an increasing myopic shift in tangential and sagittal power errors along the horizontal meridian. Conclusions As predicted by ray-tracing simulations, FCLs fitted in myopic eyes produce a myopic shift of the RPRE. The two-dimensional RPRE maps show information about the lens performance that is hidden in the conventional one-dimensional meridional representations.

Relative peripheral refraction across 4 meridians after orthokeratology and LASIK surgery

BackgroundTo characterize the axial and off-axis refraction across four meridians of the retina in myopic eyes before and after Orthokeratology (OK) and LASIK surgery.MethodsSixty right eyes with a spherical equivalent (M) between − 0.75 to − 5.25 D (cylinder <− 1.00 D) underwent LASIK (n = 26) or OK (n = 34) to treat myopia. Axial and off-axis refraction were measured with an open-field autorefractometer before and after stabilized treatments. Off-axis measurements were obtained for the horizontal (35° nasal and temporal retina) and vertical (15° superior and inferior retina) meridians, and for two oblique directions (45–225° and 135–315°) up to 20° of eccentricity. The refractive profile was addressed as relative peripheral refractive error (RPRE).ResultsOK and LASIK post-treatment results showed an increase of myopic relative refraction at several eccentric locations. At the four meridians evaluated, the M component of the pre-treatment RPRE values was not statistically different (p > 0.05) from the post-treatment RPRE within 30° and 20° of the central visual field after LASIK and OK, respectively. These results demonstrated that the treatment zone warrants an optimal central field of vision.ConclusionsThe present study gives an overview of RPRE after refractive corneal reshaping treatments (OK and LASIK) across vertical, horizontal and two oblique meridians together. This allows a 3D representation of RPRE at the retina and shows that the myopic shift induced by both treatments is more relevant in horizontal directions.

Peripheral refraction with different designs of progressive soft contact lenses in myopes

Aim: The purpose of this study was to compare the changes in relative peripheral refractive error produced by two different designs of progressive soft contact lenses in myopic schoolchildren. Methods: Twenty-seven myopic schoolchildren age between 13 to 15 years were included in this study. The measurements of central and peripheral refraction were made using a Grand-Seiko WR-5100K open-field autorefractometer without correction (baseline), and two different designs of progressive contact lenses (PCLs) (Multistage from SEED & Proclear from Cooper Vision) with an addition power of +1.50 D. Refractive power was measured at center and at eccentricities between 35º temporal to 35º nasal visual field (in 5º steps). Results: Both PCLs showed a reduction in hyperopic defocus at periphery. However, this reduction was only significant for the Multistage PCL (p= 0.015), (Proclear PCL p= 0.830). Conclusion: Multistage PCLs showed greater reduction in peripheral retinal hyperopic defocus among myopic schoolchildren in comparison to Proclear PCLs.

The impact of wearing single vision soft contact lenses on the peripheral refractive error

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in the relative peripheral refractive error produced by soft single vision contact lenses in myopic schoolchildren. Methods: 27 myopic schoolchildren aged between 13 to 15 years were included in this study. The measurements of central and peripheral refraction were made only on the right eye using a Grand-Seiko WR-5100K open-field autorefractometer without contact lens (WL), and with wearing single vision contact lens (SVCL). Refractive power was measured at center and horizontal eccentricity between 35° temporal to 35° nasal visual field (in 5° steps). Results: SVCL showed an increase in peripheral hyperopic defocus at the nasal and temporal visual field compare with baseline, but this change was not statistically significant (p=0.129). Conclusion: Wearing single vision soft contact lenses increases the relative peripheral hyperopic defocus in myopic schoolchildren.

Peripheral refraction with different designs of progressive soft contact lenses in myopes.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to compare the changes in relative peripheral refractive error produced by two different designs of progressive soft contact lenses in myopic schoolchildren. Methods: Twenty-seven myopic schoolchildren age between 13 to 15 years were included in this study. The measurements of central and peripheral refraction were made using a Grand-Seiko WR-5100K open-field autorefractometer without correction (baseline), and two different designs of progressive contact lenses (PCLs) (Multistage from SEED & Proclear from Cooper Vision) with an addition power of +1.50 D. Refractive power was measured at center and at eccentricities between 35º temporal to 35º nasal visual field (in 5º steps). Results: Both PCLs showed a reduction in hyperopic defocus at periphery. However, this reduction was only significant for the Multistage PCL (p= 0.015), (Proclear PCL p= 0.830). Conclusion: Multistage PCLs showed greater reduction in peripheral retinal hyperopic defocus among myopic schoolchildren in comparison to Proclear PCLs.

Baseline peripheral refractive error and changes in axial refraction during one year in a young adult population

PurposeTo determine whether the initial characteristics of individual patterns of peripheral refraction relate to subsequent changes in refraction over a one-year period. Methods54 myopic and emmetropic subjects (mean age: 24.9±5.1 years; median 24 years) with normal vision were recruited and underwent conventional non-cycloplegic subjective refraction. Peripheral refraction was also measured at 5° intervals over the central 60° of horizontal visual field, together with axial length. After one year, measurements of subjective refraction and axial length were repeated on the 43 subjects who were still available for examination. ResultsIn agreement with earlier studies, higher myopes tended to show greater relative peripheral hyperopia. There was, however, considerable inter-subject variation in the pattern of relative peripheral refractive error (RPRE) at any level of axial refraction. Across the group, mean one-year changes in axial refraction and axial length did not differ significantly from zero. There was no correlation between changes in these parameters for individual subjects and any characteristic of their RPRE. ConclusionNo evidence was found to support the hypothesis that the pattern of RPRE is predictive of subsequent refractive change in this age group.

Efficacy of a Gas Permeable Contact Lens to Induce Peripheral Myopic Defocus

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the potential of a novel custom-designed rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lens to modify the relative peripheral refractive error in a sample of myopic patients. Fifty-two right eyes of 52 myopic patients (mean [±SD] age, 21 [±2] years) with spherical refractive errors ranging from -0.75 to -8.00 diopters (D) and refractive astigmatism of 1.00 D or less were fitted with a novel experimental RGP (ExpRGP) lens designed to create myopic defocus in the peripheral retina. A standard RGP (StdRGP) lens was used as a control in the same eye. The relative peripheral refractive error was measured without the lens and with each of two lenses (StdRGP and ExpRGP) using an open-field autorefractometer from 30 degrees nasal to 30 degrees temporal, in 5-degree steps. The effectiveness of the lens design was evaluated as the amount of relative peripheral refractive error difference induced by the ExpRGP compared with no lens and with StdRGP conditions at 30 degrees in the nasal and temporal (averaged) peripheral visual fields. Experimental RGP lens induced a significant change in relative peripheral refractive error compared with the no-lens condition (baseline), beyond the 10 degrees of eccentricity to the nasal and temporal side of the visual field (p < 0.05). The maximum effect was achieved at 30 degrees. Wearing the ExpRGP lens, 60% of the eyes had peripheral myopia exceeding -1.00 D, whereas none of the eyes presented with this feature at baseline. There was no significant correlation (r = 0.04; p = 0.756) between the degree of myopia induced at 30 degrees of eccentricity of the visual field with the ExpRGP lens and the baseline refractive error. Custom-designed RGP contact lenses can generate a significant degree of relative peripheral myopia in myopic patients regardless of their baseline spherical equivalent refractive error.

Theoretical model of the contributions of corneal asphericity and anterior chamber depth to peripheral wavefront aberrations.

The purpose of this study was to theoretically model the contributions of corneal asphericity (Q) and anterior chamber depth to peripheral wavefront aberrations. Ray-tracing was performed on a model eye using a customised MatLab program to calculate Zernike aberrations up to the 5th order across ±60° of the horizontal visual field. The corneal Q was varied from -0.5 to 0.8, and the anterior chamber depth was changed from 2.05 to 4.05mm while axial length was held constant. Spherical equivalent refractive error derived from Zernike defocus was used to estimate peripheral refraction. Relative to axial Zernike aberrations, both defocus and astigmatism in the peripheral field increased with the corneal Q value, but the increases in relative peripheral astigmatism were much smaller in amplitude than relative peripheral defocus. Anterior chamber depth shortening caused the relative peripheral defocus and astigmatism to increase toward more positive values, although the changes in relative peripheral astigmatism with anterior chamber depth were small. Combination of the variations in both corneal Q and anterior chamber depth does not produce linear sum of the changes in relative peripheral defocus. The relative peripheral refractive error was more myopic when either the corneal Q was increased or the anterior chamber depth was shortened. The changes in relative peripheral x-axis coma, trefoil and spherical aberration with corneal Q value were complex but were barely changed with anterior chamber depth within the central 60° visual field. Both corneal asphericity and anterior chamber depth play important roles in determining peripheral wavefront aberrations. The two factors nonlinearly interact to affect peripheral aberrations. Higher corneal Q and/or shorter anterior chamber depth tend to produce relatively more myopic peripheral refraction. Increasing the Q value of the anterior surface of a contact lens might provide an interesting intervention to slow myopia progression.

Peripheral refraction with dominant design multifocal contact lenses in young myopes

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to show the potential of a commercial center-distance multifocal soft contact lens to induce relative peripheral myopic defocus in myopic eyes. MethodsTwenty-eight myopic right eyes from 28 patients (mean age: 22.0±2.0 years) were evaluated. The measurements of axial and off-axis refraction were made using a Grand-Seiko WAM-5500 open-field autorefractometer without lens and with multifocal contact lenses (Proclear Multifocal D® Design) of +2.00D and +3.00D add power applied randomly. Central mean spherical equivalent refraction was −2.24±1.33D. Ocular refraction was measured at center and at eccentricities between 35° nasal and 35° temporal (in 5° steps). ResultsBaseline relative peripheral refractive error (RPRE) as spherical equivalent (M) was −0.69±1.14D and −0.46±1.38D at 35° in the nasal and temporal degrees of visual field, respectively. Both add powers increased the relative peripheral myopic defocus up to −0.82±1.23D (p=0.002) and −1.42±1.45D (p<0.001) at 35° in the nasal field; and −0.87±1.42D (p=0.003) and −2.00±1.48D (p<0.001) at 35° in the temporal retina with +2.00D and +3.00D add lenses, respectively. Differences between +2.00 and +3.00D add lenses were statistically significant beyond 20° in the nasal visual field and 10° in the temporal visual field. ConclusionIt is possible to induce significant changes in the pattern of relative peripheral refraction in the myopic direction with commercially available dominant design multifocal contact lenses. The higher add (+3.00D) induced an significantly higher effect than the +2.00D add lens, although an increase of 1D in add power does not correspond to the same amount of increase in RPRE.

Peripheral Refraction in Myopic Eyes After LASIK Surgery

To characterize the axial and off-axis refraction across the horizontal meridian of the visual field before and after myopic laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery. This research took place at the Clinical Ophthalmologic-NovoVisión, Madrid, Spain. Twenty-six ODs (mean age ± SD = 30.4 ± 4.8 years) of 26 patients who underwent LASIK surgery to treat myopia between -0.75/-3.88 D of spherical equivalent (M) were included in the study. Peripheral refraction was evaluated by an open field auto-refractor before and after LASIK surgery at 3 months. Along with a complete set of examination procedures to assess suitability for treatment, the central and peripheral refractions were measured along the horizontal meridian up to 35° of eccentricity in the nasal and temporal retinal areas in 5° visual field steps. Changes in M ranged between 1.85 ± 0.93 D at center to 0.33 ± 0.73 D at 35° in the nasal retina (p < 0.029 for all eccentricities). Treatment induced was symmetric between nasal and temporal visual fields along the horizontal meridian. The degree of myopic increase in relative peripheral refractive error as represented by the spherical equivalent for 30° (r2 = 0.462, p < 0.001) and 35° (r2 = 0.717, p < 0.001) eccentric refraction was correlated with axial spherical equivalent at baseline. Peripheral refraction is affected by myopic LASIK surgery. Unlike orthokeratology, which increases the peripheral myopia, LASIK reduces myopia across the horizontal visual field out to at least 35° from fixation.

Full-Field Accommodation in Rhesus Monkeys Measured Using Infrared Photorefraction

Full-field photorefraction was measured during accommodation in anesthetized monkeys to better understand the monkey as a model of human accommodation and how accommodation affects off-axis refraction. A photorefraction camera was rotated on a 30-cm-long rod in a horizontal arc, with the eye at the center of curvature of the arc so that the measurement distance remained constant. The resistance of a potentiometer attached to the rotation center of the rod changed proportionally with the rotation angle. Photorefraction and rotation angle were simultaneously measured at 30 Hz. Trial-lens calibrations were performed on-axis and across the full field in each eye. Full-field refraction measurements were compared using on-axis and full-field calibrations. In five iridectomized monkeys (mean age in years ± SD: 12.8 ± 0.9), full-field refraction was measured before and during carbachol iontophoresis stimulated accommodation, a total of seven times (with one repeat each in two monkeys). Measurements over approximately 20 seconds had <0.1 D of variance and an angular resolution of 0.1°, from at least -30° to 30°. Photorefraction calibrations performed over the full field had a maximum variation in the calibration slopes within one eye of 90%. Applying full-field calibrations versus on-axis calibrations resulted in a decrease in the maximum SDs of the calculated refractions from 1.99 to 0.89 D for relative peripheral refractive error and from 4.68 to 1.99 D for relative accommodation. By applying full-field calibrations, relative accommodation in pharmacologically stimulated monkeys was found to be similar to that reported with voluntary accommodation in humans.

Heritability of Peripheral Refraction in Chinese Children and Adolescents: The Guangzhou Twin Eye Study

To estimate the heritability of peripheral refraction in Chinese children and adolescents. The authors examined 72 monozygotic (MZ) twins and 48 dizygotic (DZ) twins aged 8 to 20 years from a population-based twin registry. Temporal and nasal peripheral refraction, each 40° from the visual axis, and axial refraction were measured using an autorefractor. Relative peripheral refractive error (RPRE) was defined as the peripheral refraction minus the axial refraction. Heritability was assessed by structural equation modeling after adjustment for age and sex. The mean and SD of temporal refraction (T(40)), nasal refraction (N(40)), RPRE-T(40), RPRE-N(40), and T(40)-N(40) asymmetry were -0.27 ± 2.0 D, 0.36 ± 2.19 D, 1.18 ± 1.39 D, 1.80 ± 1.69 D, and -0.62 ± 1.58 D, respectively. The intraclass correlations for T(40) refraction, N(40) refraction, RPRE-T(40), RPRE-N(40), and T(40)-N(40) asymmetry were 0.87, 0.83, 0.65, 0.74, and 0.58 for MZ pairs and 0.49, 0.42, 0.30, 0.41, and 0.32 for DZ pairs, respectively. A model with additive genetic and unique environmental effects was the most parsimonious, with heritability values estimated as 0.84, 0.76, 0.63, 0.70, and 0.55, respectively, for the peripheral refractive parameters. Additive genetic effects appear to explain most of the variance in peripheral refraction and relative peripheral refraction when adjusting for the effects of axial refraction.

Relative Peripheral Refractive Error and the Risk of Onset and Progression of Myopia in Children

To investigate whether relative peripheral hyperopia is a risk factor for either the onset of myopia in children or the rate of myopic progression. The risk of myopia onset was assessed in 2043 nonmyopic third-grade children (mean age ± SD = 8.8 ± 0.52 years) participating in the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Ethnicity and Refractive Error (CLEERE) Study between 1995 and 2007, 324 of whom became myopic by the eighth grade. Progression analyses used data from 774 myopic children in grades 1 to 8. Foveal and relative peripheral refractive error 30° in the nasal visual field was measured annually by using cycloplegic autorefraction. Axial length was measured by A-scan ultrasonography. The association between more hyperopic relative peripheral refractive error in the third grade and the risk of the onset of myopia by the eighth grade varied by ethnic group (Asian children odds ratio [OR] = 1.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-2.30; African-American children OR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.58-0.96; Hispanics, Native Americans, and whites showed no significant association). Myopia progression was greater per diopter of more hyperopic relative peripheral refractive error, but only by a small amount (-0.024 D per year; P = 0.02). Axial elongation was unrelated to the average relative peripheral refractive error (P = 0.77), regardless of ethnicity. Relative peripheral hyperopia appears to exert little consistent influence on the risk of the onset of myopic refractive error, on the rate of myopia progression, or on axial elongation.

Effect of accommodation on peripheral ocular aberrations

Changes in peripheral aberrations, particularly higher order aberrations, as a function of accommodation have received little attention. Wavefront aberrations were measured for the right eyes of 9 young adult emmetropes at 38 field positions in the central 42 x 32 degrees of the visual field. Subjects accommodated monocularly to targets at vergences of either 0.3 or 4.0 D. Wavefront data for a 5-mm diameter pupil were analyzed either in terms of the vector components of refraction or Zernike coefficients and total RMS wavefront aberrations. Relative peripheral refractive error (RPRE) was myopic at both accommodation demands and showed only a slight, not statistically significant, hypermetropic shift in the vertical meridian with the higher accommodation demand. There was little change in the astigmatic components of refraction or the higher order Zernike coefficients, apart from fourth-order spherical aberration, which became more negative (by 0.10 microm) at all field locations. Although it has been suggested that nearwork and the state of peripheral refraction may play some role in myopia development, for most of our adult emmetropes any changes with accommodation in RPRE and aberration were small. Hence it seems unlikely that such changes can be of importance to late-onset myopization.

Refractive error, axial length, and relative peripheral refractive error before and after the onset of myopia.

To evaluate refractive error, axial length, and relative peripheral refractive error before, during the year of, and after the onset of myopia in children who became myopic compared with emmetropes. Subjects were 605 children 6 to 14 years of age who became myopic (at least -0.75 D in each meridian) and 374 emmetropic (between -0.25 D and +1.00 D in each meridian at all visits) children participating between 1995 and 2003 in the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Ethnicity and Refractive Error (CLEERE) Study. Axial length was measured annually by A-scan ultrasonography. Relative peripheral refractive error (the difference between the spherical equivalent cycloplegic autorefraction 30 degrees in the nasal visual field and in primary gaze) was measured using either of two autorefractors (R-1; Canon, Lake Success, NY [no longer manufactured] or WR 5100-K; Grand Seiko, Hiroshima, Japan). Refractive error was measured with the same autorefractor with the subjects under cycloplegia. Each variable in children who became myopic was compared to age-, gender-, and ethnicity-matched model estimates of emmetrope values for each annual visit from 5 years before through 5 years after the onset of myopia. In the sample as a whole, children who became myopic had less hyperopia and longer axial lengths than did emmetropes before and after the onset of myopia (4 years before through 5 years after for refractive error and 3 years before through 5 years after for axial length; P < 0.0001 for each year). Children who became myopic had more hyperopic relative peripheral refractive errors than did emmetropes from 2 years before onset through 5 years after onset of myopia (P < 0.002 for each year). The fastest rate of change in refractive error, axial length, and relative peripheral refractive error occurred during the year before onset rather than in any year after onset. Relative peripheral refractive error remained at a consistent level of hyperopia each year after onset, whereas axial length and myopic refractive error continued to elongate and to progress, respectively, although at slower rates compared with the rate at onset. A more negative refractive error, longer axial length, and more hyperopic relative peripheral refractive error in addition to faster rates of change in these variables may be useful for predicting the onset of myopia, but only within a span of 2 to 4 years before onset. Becoming myopic does not appear to be characterized by a consistent rate of increase in refractive error and expansion of the globe. Acceleration in myopia progression, axial elongation, and peripheral hyperopia in the year prior to onset followed by relatively slower, more stable rates of change after onset suggests that more than one factor may influence ocular expansion during myopia onset and progression.

The effect of accommodation on ocular shape.

Ocular shape is altered in myopia, and accommodation during nearwork is a proposed risk factor for myopia. Using relative peripheral refractive error (RPRE), ocular shape was assessed before, during, and after a period of sustained nearwork to determine whether accommodation affects ocular shape. Measurements of RPRE at 30 degrees in the nasal visual field were obtained using the spherical equivalent calculated from Canon R-1 autorefraction. The RPRE of 41 young adults was measured on two separate occasions separated by at least 1 week to assess RPRE repeatability. Later, the RPRE of 22 young adults was measured at a 0 D accommodative stimulus and then at a 3 D stimulus level at 0, 1, and 2 h during which subjects performed sustained nearwork at 33 cm. After 2 h of nearwork, subjects had RPRE measured at prescribed time intervals over a 1-h period in which they looked in the distance (0 D stimulus). The measurement of RPRE had adequate repeatability (mean difference +/- SD, -0.05 +/- 0.35 D) with +/- 0.68 D as the 95% limits of agreement. The onset of accommodation produced an immediate hyperopic shift of RPRE relative to baseline (+0.37 +/- 0.44 D; p = 0.0007), indicating that ocular shape had become more prolate. This shape remained unchanged after 1 h of sustained accommodation (RPRE difference from baseline, +0.25 +/- 0.55 D; p = 0.04) and then returned to baseline dimensions after 2h of accommodation (RPRE difference from baseline, +0.11 +/- 0.39 D; p = 0.21). At the 0 D stimulus level one minute after the period of nearwork, RPRE became more myopic relative to baseline (RPRE difference from baseline, -0.28 +/- 0.50 D; p = 0.016). Ocular shape returned to baseline dimensions after 45 min of accommodative relaxation. Accommodation induced the ocular shape to become more prolate. The opposite occurred after accommodation was relaxed, namely a change toward a more oblate ocular shape. The transient nature of these changes suggests that tension on the choroid and choroidal hysteresis may play a role in influencing ocular shape.