What are the 6 issues that parents are most concerned about before fitting orthokeratology lenses?

Myopia prevention and control also requires comprehensive measures from many aspects. In addition to increasing outdoor activities, the control methods that have been proven to effectively delay the progression of myopia include: OK lenses, low-concentration atropine (pay attention to its adverse reactions and potential risks), multifocal soft lenses and new defocus optical lenses (more clinical studies are needed to confirm their control efficacy), etc. Specific personal prevention and control plans still need to be analyzed according to individual circumstances in order to make the most appropriate choice. However, in clinical practice, many parents still do not understand or have misunderstandings about orthokeratology lenses. Based on our daily work, we have sorted out the 6 most frequently asked and most concerned questions by parents before fitting orthokeratology lenses~

1. Both parents are severely myopic. Is it useful for their children to wear orthokeratology lenses?

Myopia is partly caused by genetic factors, and orthokeratology can control the growth of the eye axis, thereby controlling the development of myopia. However, due to genetic factors, orthokeratology can intervene in the progression of myopia, but it cannot prevent the development of myopia. Wearing orthokeratology can control myopia, but myopia will still increase compared to other people.

2. Will my myopia stop getting worse if I wear orthokeratology lenses?

The root causes of myopia lie in heredity, growth and development, unreasonable eye habits, too little outdoor exercise, excessive close work, and extensive use of mobile phones and tablets.

There is no method that can stop myopia from increasing immediately. The same is true for orthokeratology lenses, but among those who use orthokeratology lenses, children with large pupils, high corneal curvature, and steep corneal curvature will have better control effects.

3. If my myopia is less than 200 degrees, can I observe it first and then get a prescription when the degree goes up?

The earlier you start preventing and controlling myopia, the better, and the lower the degree of myopia, the better. Many children's myopia is delayed because of "wait a little longer" or "no time".

Of course, it is also necessary to make a comprehensive judgment based on the age of the child's myopia and the development trend of the refractive power in the past two years. If the child is found to be myopic at the age of 10, it is necessary to pay enough attention to early prevention and control to avoid the development of high myopia; if the child is found to be myopic at the age of 15 or 16, parents do not need to be too nervous, because the myopia degree will most likely be in the low range after adulthood.

4. Will wearing orthokeratology lenses for a long time affect myopia laser surgery in the future?

No, although the cornea will be reshaped while wearing orthokeratology lenses, this reshaping change will be completely restored after the lenses are stopped. It will not affect the implementation of future myopia laser surgery, nor will it affect the safety of the cornea.

5. How do I know if my myopia has increased while wearing orthokeratology lenses?

1) Go directly to the fitting hospital for examination and compare the data from the initial wearing period. This method is fast, convenient, simple and has a high accuracy rate.

2) Re-examination after stopping wearing the lenses. This is the most accurate method and can be done during summer and winter vacations. Depending on the degree of myopia, you need to stop wearing the lenses for 2 to 3 weeks before re-examination.

6. Will the longer you wear your OK lenses at night, the better the effect?

The recommended wearing time is 8 to 10 hours. The myopia control effect is not linearly related to the wearing time. When the corneal morphology is stable, it enters the plateau period, and the morphology no longer changes with the extension of wearing time. Therefore, even if you wear it for 12 hours continuously, the effect achieved is the same as 10 hours. Therefore, it is not recommended to wear it overnight for more than 10 hours (unless the myopia is too high).

Please refer to the instructions for contraindications or precautions.

Medical science is for reference only

Image: Original, "Handbook on Myopia Prevention and Control for Primary School Students"