Parents worried by the deterioration
of their children’s eyesight now have reason to
celebrate. Research just published by university scientists
in Hong Kong has shown a 50% reduction in the development
of short sightedness in children when using a revolutionary
new vision correction method.
The procedure involves using a small transparent appliance,
like a contact lenses, in the eye overnight while sleeping.
A small reservoir of moisture behind the lens gently
reshapes the front surface of the eye, known as the
cornea, to correct short sightedness overnight. The
lenses allow the eye to see perfectly at all times,
and on waking also give clear vision when removed from
the eye. This allows clear vision all day without the
use of any spectacles or contact lenseses. For adults
and children alike, this procedure removes the potential
for problems encountered when losing contact lenseses
or spectacles during activities like swimming and sport.
The procedure of “Orthokeratology” has
been used on both adults & children by a small number
of practitioners in the UK and abroad for a few years
now. John Davidson has been prescribing these lenses
for two years now. He says that “Discussing the
visual liberation experienced by our patients that use
Orthokeratology lenses is a gratifying experience for
me. For the parents of short sighted children, the ability
to positively influence the eyesight of their children
is extremely important to them
For more information on Orthokeratology
Scientific paper abstract: Results from LORIC Study
Researchers conducted a two-year pilot study (The
Longitudinal Orthokeratology Research in Children [LORIC])
to determine whether ortho-k can effectively reduce
and control myopia in children. They monitored the growth
of axial length (AL) and vitreous chamber depth (VCD)
in 35 children aged seven to 12 undergoing ortho-k and
compared the rates of change with 35 control children
wearing single-vision spectacles. The researchers also
determined the changes in corneal curvature and the
relationships with changes of refractive errors, AL
and VCD for the ortho-k subjects. All of the ortho-k
subjects found post-orthokeratology unaided vision acceptable
in the daytime. They found significant initial corneal
flattening in the ortho-k group, but no significant
relationships between changes in corneal power and changes
in AL and VCD. The researchers concluded that ortho-k
can have both a corrective and a control effect in childhood
myopia, but substantial variations exist in changes
in eye length among children and there is no way to
predict the effect for individual subjects.
Paper Full Reference
Cho P, Cheung SW, Edwards M. The Longitudinal Orthokeratology
Research in Children (LORIC) in Hong Kong: A Pilot Study
on Refractive Changes in Myopic Control. Current Eye
Research 30:71-80, 2005.
To
view the Paper
Editor's Commentary from the website contact lenses
spectrum:
(Published April 3rd 2005)
Ortho-K and Myopia Progression
This week, our abstract discusses a rigorous study of
overnight orthokeratology and myopia progression. Before
you start telling all of your patients that ortho-k
can halt the progression of myopia, keep this in mind:
Even if it does decrease the progression of myopia,
as with other treatments such as progressive addition
spectacle lenses and GP lenses for daily wear, the treatment
effect is not large. Jeff Walline, O.D., Ph.D., author
of the CLAMP Study and experienced myopia and corneal
reshaping in kids investigator comments:
The results from the LORIC Study are important and intriguing.
This is the first evidence from a controlled study that
indicates the potential for myopia control with corneal
reshaping contact lenseses. The treatment effect over
two years is also greater than the treatment effect
reported by recently completed, randomized clinical
trials investigating myopia control with bifocal spectacles
and alignment fitted GP contact lenseses. However, caution
should still be applied when telling patients about
the potential for myopia control benefits with corneal
reshaping contact lenseses until the results are verified
by an independent investigation and more information
is available regarding which specific children will
benefit from corneal reshaping myopia control
For more information on Orthokeratology
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