Ear seeds and smart glasses: a new hope to halt childhood myopia?
NCT ID NCT07746778
First seen Aug 05, 2026 · Last updated Aug 06, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether combining auricular acupressure (small seeds placed on the ear) with defocus spectacle lenses can slow the progression of nearsightedness (myopia) in primary school children. About 358 students in grades 1-4 with premyopia or myopia will be randomly assigned to receive either the combination treatment or the glasses alone. Over 12 months, researchers will measure changes in eye length and refractive error to see if the acupressure adds benefit.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Auricular acupressure (ear seed therapy) combined with defocus spectacle lenses
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this combination could offer a non-invasive, drug-free way to slow myopia progression in children, potentially reducing the risk of high myopia later in life.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage trial, and the added benefit of acupressure over glasses alone is uncertain. Adherence to wearing glasses and acupressure may be challenging, and results may not generalize beyond this school-based setting.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 358 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jun 2026
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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6 to 11 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Students in grades 1 to 4 from participating primary schools. * Children with premyopia or myopia at baseline, defined as cycloplegic spherical equivalent refraction in the worse eye greater than -0.50 D and less than or equal to +0.75 D for premyopia, or less than or equal to -0.50 D for myopia. * Written informed consent provided by a parent or legal guardian, and age-appropriate assent obtained from the child when applicable. * Willingness to participate in baseline and follow-up assessments during the study period. Exclusion Criteria: * Strabismus, amblyopia, or other ocular abnormalities. * Systemic disease or other medical conditions that may affect study participation. * Has received any myopia prevention intervention in the past 3 months. * Known skin sensitivity, local ear skin lesions, or other conditions judged unsuitable for auricular acupressure. * Any other condition judged by the study doctors to make participation inappropriate.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Shanghai Eye Disease Prevention and Treatment Center
RECRUITINGShanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China
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- Myopia glasses may keep working even after kids take them off