Silicone hydrogel versus hydrogel daily disposable contact lenses for myopia control

Paper title: Should Daily Disposable Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lens Use be Considered as the First Choice Among Soft Contact Lens Options for Pediatric Myopia Control?

Authors: Fiona Stapleton (1), Mark Willcox, Xu Cheng, Monica Jong

1. School of Optometry and Vision Science (F.S., M.W., M.J.), UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; and Johnson & Johnson Vision (X.C., M.J.), Jacksonville, FL.

Date: May 2026

References: Stapleton F, Willcox M, Cheng X, Jong M. Should Daily Disposable Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lens Use be Considered as the First Choice Among Soft Contact Lens Options for Pediatric Myopia Control? Eye Contact Lens. 2026 May 1;52(5):177-179.

[Link to editorial]

This editorial discussed the potential role of daily disposable silicone hydrogel contact lenses in childhood myopia control. While silicone hydrogel materials reduce hypoxia-related complications, there is limited pediatric-specific evidence comparing their safety with hydrogel lenses.

The authors reviewed evidence from prospective trials, registry studies and postmarket safety data involving children and young people wearing contact lenses for myopia control. Evidence included the TEMPO registry study, which compared hydrogel and silicone hydrogel (SiHy) daily disposable lenses in wearers aged 8 to 25 years.

Key findings were as follows: 

• Corneal infection rates in pediatric soft lens wear were estimated at 2.7 per 10,000 wearers annually, with no data specifically distinguishing between SiHy and hydrogel rates. 
• Daily disposable lenses reduced corneal infiltrate risk by 3 to 12 times compared with reusable lenses, again independent of material type  
• Corneal infiltrate rates were approximately 0.5% per year in daily disposable wear, with most of this data coming from hydrogel materials
• SiHy and hydrogel daily disposable lenses appeared to have similar infiltrate rates 
• Comfort with newer SiHy materials appeared broadly similar to hydrogel lenses, with both apparently better than frequent replacement lenses 
• Most evidence was derived from mixed adult and pediatric populations rather than children alone, and an increased risk of corneal infiltrates in teens (13-17 yrs) and young adults (18-25 yrs) compared to children (8-12 yrs) has been shown in mixed-modality studies.

Daily disposable contact lenses appear to be a generally safe option for childhood myopia control, where the risk of inflammatory complications appears reduced compared with reusable soft lenses, especially when appropriate hygiene, follow-up and patient selection are considered.

Current evidence does not appear to show that silicone hydrogel daily disposable lenses are safer than hydrogel daily disposable lenses in children. While silicone hydrogel materials could theoretically support extended daily wearing times and many years of intended wear through reduced hypoxic effects, metabolic advantages in pediatric myopia control populations remain unproven. 

Practitioners should continue considering relevant comorbidities before initiating contact lens wear, including ocular allergy, meibomian gland dysfunction, and ocular surface disease, though evidence about their prevalence and impact in children remains limited. The observation of age-related effects on infiltrate rates in 8- to 25-year-olds suggests age may be relevant in risk assessment, though clinical significance in daily disposable wear requires further investigation.

There is currently limited high-quality pediatric-specific evidence comparing silicone hydrogel and hydrogel daily disposable lenses for myopia control. Most available studies include mixed adult and pediatric populations, and some mixed modalities (daily disposable and reusable), limiting confidence in conclusions for children alone.

Evidence regarding corneal infection risk remains uncertain because only one infection case was reported across the reviewed trials. While this is reassuring, the low event rate makes precise risk estimation difficult.

The reasons for possible age-related differences in inflammatory events also remain unclear. Further research is needed to determine whether younger wearers respond differently to contact lens materials, wearing schedules or environmental factors influencing dry eye, such as digital device use.

Future studies with larger pediatric-only populations could compare complication rates, comfort, compliance and long-term ocular surface effects between hydrogel and SiHy daily disposable lenses. Research is also needed to determine whether improved oxygen transmission produces clinically meaningful benefits for ocular health and/or myopia control outcomes in children.