A large randomized clinical trial conducted in China found that a form of noninvasive electrical eye stimulation reduced the incidence of myopia in children identified as being at risk for the condition. The study followed 680 children between the ages of 6 and 12 who met criteria for premyopia, a refractive state associated with a higher likelihood of developing myopia.

Participants were randomly assigned to receive either eye-transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (ETEAS) or a sham treatment. The intervention was self-administered at home under parental supervision for 24 weeks, followed by an additional 24 weeks of observation. At the end of 48 weeks, myopia developed in 29% of children in the ETEAS group, compared with 38.1% in the control group.

Children who received ETEAS also showed smaller changes in refractive error and less axial eye growth, both markers of myopia progression. The study reported no treatment-related adverse events.

Researchers said the findings suggest that early intervention during the premyopia stage may delay or reduce the onset of myopia. They cautioned that the study population was limited to Chinese children and that longer follow-up will be needed to assess sustained effects and broader applicability.

Jiang W, Hu Y, Ai Y, et al. Effect of eye-transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on myopia incidence in children: a randomized clinical trial. Ophthalmology. January 12, 2026. [Online ahead of print]. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2026.01.003