Longitudinal Changes in Relative Peripheral Refraction During Childhood Myopia Onset: A 3-year Prospective…

Cohort studyOphthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists)· Jul 2026

Longitudinal Changes in Relative Peripheral Refraction During Childhood Myopia Onset: A 3-year Prospective Observation.

Runting Ma, Xiao Wang, Yin Hu … Xiao Yang

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Cataract & RefractiveCohort studyDiagnosisQ1IF 3.4

Baseline temporal peripheral refraction is linked to higher odds of childhood myopia onset.

Longitudinal Changes in Relative Peripheral Refraction During Childhood Myopia Onset: A 3-year Prospective Observation.

Runting Ma … Xiao Yang

Ophthalmic & physiological optics · Jul 2026 · Q1 in Ophthalmology

Purpose

To investigate 3-year dynamic changes in relative peripheral refraction (relative peripheral refraction) and their association with axial elongation and myopia progression stages in children.

Methods

A total of 564 children (mean age 9.22 ± 0.59 years; 51.1% female) completed three annual visits in a longitudinal observational cohort study (2020-2023) in Guangzhou, China.

n = 564 children

Results

peripheral vision blur more than doubled the odds of onset

OR 2.24 (95% CI 1.08 to 4.66)

null 1

1.08

4.66

CI excludes the null - significant

More results

In non-myopic children, differences in baseline relative peripheral refraction were observed 1 year before myopia onset.

The 3-year Δtotal RPR was higher in the myopia-onset group (0.21 D) and the remaining non-myopic group (0.16 D) than in established myopia (0.06 D).

More results

Additionally, significant differences in Δaxial length were observed: myopia-onset (+0.91 mm), established myopia (+0.81 mm) and remained non-myopic (+0.45 mm) (p < 0.001). Δtotal RPR was correlated with Δaxial length in the myopia-onset group (r = 0.32, p < 0.001), but not in established myopia.

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Conclusion · 1 of 3

Baseline central refractive error remains the dominant predictor of myopia onset. Changes in relative peripheral refraction may be associated with myopia development.

Conclusion · 2 of 3

Dynamic relative peripheral refraction changes may provide complementary information regarding ocular shape remodelling, with limited added predictive value beyond baseline spherical equivalent refraction.

Conclusion · 3 of 3

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

Longitudinal Changes in Relative Peripheral Refraction During Childhood Myopia Onset: A 3-year Prospective Observation.

Longitudinal Changes in Relative Peripheral Refraction During Childhood Myopia Onset: A 3-year Prospective Observation.

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