Human research · meta-analysis
Lin LY et al., Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology 2026
A meta-analysis of 28 RCTs (3573 children, all but one in China) found that repeated low-level red-light (RLRL) therapy, a form of photobiomodulation using 650 nm light, slowed myopia progression over 12 months compared with control: spherical equivalent refraction worsened about 0.68 dioptres less and the eye grew about 0.30 mm less in axial length. Certainty was moderate for refraction and low for axial length (GRADE). Safety assessment was limited: no severe adverse events were reported, but retinal structure was too inconsistently reported to pool, and evidence beyond 1 year was not analysed.
Source: Duration-Dependent Efficacy and Clinical Safety of Repeated Low-Level Red-Light Therapy for Paediatric Myopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Lin LY, Hsu CH, Su H, Sun JW, Wu JS, Jeng WJ, Tsai CH, Yuliani FS, Lin SH. Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology. 2026;54(5):630-652. doi:10.1111/ceo.70105. PMID:41846466. PMCID:PMC13340503. Published 2026-03-18. Full text read (PMC)
Verified research card EL-20261018-06-R1