Stabilization in early adult-onset myopia with corneal refractive therapy

Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2016 Feb;39(1):72-7. doi: 10.1016/j.clae.2015.06.009. Epub 2015 Jul 15.

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the stabilization of early adult-onset myopia in three university students after initiating orthokeratology treatment with corneal refractive therapy contact lenses.

Methods: Three Caucasian early adult-onset progressing myopic subjects (1 male, 2 females) were fitted with corneal refractive therapy lenses to correct myopia between -1.50 and -2.50 D of sphere using Paragon CRT (Paragon Vision Sciences, Mesa, AZ) lenses for overnight orthokeratology. The pre-treatment refractive history from 2005 as well as refraction and axial length after treatment onset are reported over a period of 3 years between December 2009 and January 2013 with an additional year of follow-up after treatment discontinuation (January-December 2013). The peripheral refractive patterns and topographic changes are also reported individually.

Results: Treatment was successful in all three subjects achieving uncorrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better monocularly. During a period of 3 years of follow-up the subjects did not experience progression in their refractive error, nor in their axial length (measured during the last 2 years of treatment and 1 year after discontinuation). Furthermore, the subjects recovered to their baseline refraction and did not progressed further over the following year after lens wear discontinuation.

Conclusions: We cannot attribute a causative effect to the orthokeratology treatment alone as underlying mechanism for myopia stabilization in this 3 patients. However, the present report points to the possibility of stabilization of early adult-onset myopia progression in young adults using corneal refractive therapy treatment.

Keywords: Corneal refractive therapy; Early adult-onset myopia; Myopia control; Orthokeratology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Contact Lenses*
  • Cornea / pathology*
  • Corneal Topography
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Myopia / diagnosis
  • Myopia / physiopathology
  • Myopia / therapy*
  • Orthokeratologic Procedures / methods*
  • Refraction, Ocular / physiology*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Young Adult