Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Dec 2;65(14):9.
doi: 10.1167/iovs.65.14.9.

Natural Course of Refractive Error in Congenital Stationary Night Blindness: Implications for Myopia Treatment

Mariëlle M F Poels  1 , Gerard C de Wit  1 , Mieke M C Bijveld  1 , Maria M van Genderen  1   2
Affiliations

Natural Course of Refractive Error in Congenital Stationary Night Blindness: Implications for Myopia Treatment

Mariëlle M F Poels et al. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. .

Abstract

Purpose: A range of pharmacological and optical therapies are being studied and implemented in children with myopia to reduce the progression of myopia. At present, the efficacy of these myopia reduction treatments in children with underlying inherited retinal disorders (IRDs) is largely unknown. To evaluate this efficacy, it is essential to first understand the natural progression of myopia within each distinct underlying IRD. We investigated the natural course of refractive error throughout childhood in patients with congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) of the Schubert-Bornschein type.

Methods: We retrospectively assessed a total of 295 refraction measurements in 127 patients with CSNB (48 with "complete" CSNB [CSNB1] and 79 with "incomplete" CSNB [CSNB2]) at different ages between 0 and 21 years old. None had a history of myopia control treatment. A linear mixed effects model was fitted on the data to analyze the natural course of refraction in these patients.

Results: The fitted model showed that refractive error in patients with CSNB increases quickly toward myopia in the first years of life. After the age of 4 years, there was a minimal progression of only -0.12 diopters (D) per year up to 15 years, after which the refraction seemed stable. All (43/43) of the patients with CSNB1 aged > 4 years were myopic and 84% (62/74) of the patients with CSNB2 aged > 4 years were myopic at the last refraction measurement.

Conclusions: In general, the refractive error of children with CSNB changes minimally after the age of 4 years old. A critical approach to myopia control interventions in these children is warranted.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: M.M.F. Poels, None; G.C. de Wit, None; M.M.C. Bijveld, None; M.M. van Genderen, None

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Refraction as a function of age for all CSNB patient data. Red line/area: fit using a model with linear splines and two knots at the age of 4 and 15 years (based on the transition points when fitting restricted cubic splines with many knots, see Supplementary Fig. S2).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Distribution of the last refraction datapoint of patients with CSNB1 versus patients with CSNB2 (age > 4 years).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Bullimore MA, Brennan NA.. Myopia control: why each diopter matters. Optom Vis Sci. 2019; 96(6): 463–465. - PubMed
    1. Tideman JWL, Snabel MCC, Tedja MS, et al. .. Association of axial length with risk of uncorrectable visual impairment for Europeans with myopia. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016; 134(12): 1355–1363. - PubMed
    1. Sankaridurg P, Tahhan N, Kandel H, et al. .. IMI mpact of myopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2021; 62(5): 2. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Flitcroft I, Ainsworth J, Chia A, et al. .. IMI—management and investigation of high myopia in infants and young children. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2023; 64(6): 3. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Shih YF, Ho TC, Hsiao CK, Lin LLK.. Long-term visual prognosis of infantile-onset high myopia. Eye. 2006; 20(8): 888–892. - PubMed

MeSH terms

Supplementary concepts

LinkOut - more resources