A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness and safety of the repeated low-level red light therapy in slowing the progression of myopia in children and adolescents
Bo Deng, Mo Zhou, Xiangmei Kong, Linbi Luo, Hongbin Lv- Ophthalmology
Abstract
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of repeated low-level red light (RLRL) therapy in controlling myopia progression in children through a meta-analysis.
Methods:
We searched several databases including PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, WANFANG, CBM, and VIP with languages restricted to both Chinese and English. The search was conducted from the establishment of the databases to March 23, 2023. We collected randomized controlled trials and controlled experiments to evaluate changes in axial length (AL) and spherical equivalent (SE) before and after RLRL intervention. Two researchers performed literature screening and data extraction, and RevMan software (Ver 5.3) and StataMP 17.0 were used for meta-analysis.
Results:
A total of 141 articles were retrieved, and finally, six randomized controlled trials met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, including 820 eyes (RLRL group: 411 eyes, control group: 409 eyes). The meta-analysis results showed that the RLRL group was significantly better than the control group in controlling AL, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (mean difference [MD] = −0.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] [ - 0.28, −0.16];
Conclusion:
RLRL therapy is a safe and effective method for controlling myopia, which can inhibit the growth of AL and slow down the progression of myopia. However, further research and validation are needed to determine its treatment efficacy and course.