Glasses prescribed to young children to correct hyperopia failed to show significant visions benefit after three years of follow-up in a randomised trial in the US.

The Ohio State University study lead Dr Marjean Kulp said, “Our estimates of failure, after three years of six-month follow-ups, are inconclusive and consistent with a small-to-moderate benefit, or no benefit, of immediate prescription of glasses compared with careful observations, with glasses only if deteriorated.”

Published in Ophthalmology, the research involved 130 children aged three to five. Children assigned glasses had a failure rate of 21 percent versus 34 percent for children who were observed during the follow-up period. And almost twice as many patients showed vision deterioration over the three years.

Kulp said, “Regardless of initial treatment approach, the moderate-to-high proportion of deterioration and subsequent moderate proportion of failure at three years indicate the need for eyecare professionals to closely follow children aged 1-2 years with moderate hyperopia.”