The goal of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of orthokeratology (ortho-k) for myopic control in children.
The study examined 102 patients ranging in age from 6 to 10 years, with myopia between 0.50 and 4.00 diopters and astigmatism not more than 1.25 diopters, who were randomly assigned to wear overnight orthokeratology lens retainers or single-vision glasses for a period of 2 years. Axial length - a key measurement of myopia - was measured by intraocular lens calculation by a masked examiner. Measurements of the kids' eyes were taken at baseline and then every six months.
The researchers concluded that, on average, subjects wearing ortho-k lenses had a slower increase in axial elongation (a key marker of myopia progression) by 43% compared with that of subjects wearing single-vision glasses. The authors noted that younger children tended to have faster axial elongation and may benefit from early ortho-k treatment.
