Effectiveness of Low-Level Red Light in Controlling Myopia Progression in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of low-level red light (LLRL) therapy compared to single-vision spectacles (SVS) in controlling myopia progression, focusing on spherical equivalent refraction (SER), axial length (AL), and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT). A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science, including only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving myopic patients aged 16 years or younger. Mean differences were calculated with 95% CIs, and the I² statistic was used to assess heterogeneity among studies. The meta-analysis included 11 RCTs. At three months, significant differences were observed between LLRL and SVS in SER (estimate: 0.225; 95% CI: 0.042, 0.408; p = 0.016) and AL (estimate: -0.137; 95% CI: -0.280, 0.007; p = 0.062). At six months, significant differences were noted in SER (estimate: 0.450; 95% CI: 0.351, 0.550; p < 0.001), AL (estimate: -0.179; 95% CI: -0.278, -0.079; p < 0.001), and SFCT (estimate: 35.281; 95% CI: 23.230, 47.331; p < 0.001). By 12 months, the differences remained significant for SER (estimate: 0.806; 95% CI: 0.675, 0.937; p < 0.001) and AL (estimate: -0.294; 95% CI: -0.416, -0.172; p < 0.001). These findings suggest that LLRL therapy effectively reduces myopia progression in children, as indicated by improvements in SER, slower AL growth, and stabilization or slight increases in SFCT. However, further studies are necessary to determine the optimal dosage, long-term safety, and overall efficacy of LLRL therapy.