Influence of overnight orthokeratology on axial elongation in childhood myopia

Abstract

Purpose: This prospective study was conducted to assess the influence of overnight orthokeratology (OK) on axial elongation in children, with those wearing spectacles as controls.

Methods: One hundred five subjects (210 eyes) were enrolled in the study. The OK group comprised 45 patients (90 eyes, age 12.1 ± 2.5 years, mean ± SD; OK group) who matched the inclusion criteria for OK. The control group comprised 60 patients (120 eyes, 11.9 ± 2.0 years) who also matched the inclusion criteria for OK but preferred spectacles for myopia correction. Axial length was measured at baseline and after 2 years using ocular biometry, and the changes were evaluated and compared between the groups.

Results: Ninety-two subjects (42 and 50 in the OK and control groups, respectively) completed the 2-year follow-up examinations. At baseline, the spherical equivalent refractive error was -2.55 ± 1.82 and -2.59 ± 1.66 D, and the axial length was 24.66 ± 1.11 and 24.79 ± 0.80 mm in the OK and control groups, respectively, with no significant differences between the groups. The increase in axial length during the 2-year study period was 0.39 ± 0.27 and 0.61 ± 0.24 mm, respectively, and the difference was significant (P < 0.0001, unpaired t-test).

Conclusions: OK suppressed axial elongation in myopic children, suggesting that this treatment can slow the progression of myopia to a certain extent.