Doctors at Peking Union Medical College say: Don’t be afraid of myopia? How much do you know about OK lenses?

During the happy winter vacation blessed by the Spring Festival, children are inevitably attracted by wonderful TV programs and electronic devices. The vision problems caused by staring at the screen for a long time make parents feel like they are facing a formidable enemy. Speaking of "orthokeratology lenses (also known as OK lenses)", I believe parents are not unfamiliar with them. However, some parents do not care about their children's overload of eyes, and even have the idea that "OK lenses can be worn even if they are nearsighted." Is everything fine after wearing OK lenses? Will the degree increase after wearing OK lenses? Is it safe for OK lenses to contact the cornea? Today, the ophthalmologists of Union Medical College will answer the common questions of parents one by one for you——

Do I still need frame glasses after wearing OK lenses?

OK lenses are a specially designed hard contact lens. Wearing them at night can flatten the central area of ​​the cornea to a certain extent, and during the day they can temporarily reduce the degree and provide a clear field of vision.

In special circumstances, such as high myopia or lack of sleep at night, corneal reshaping is not enough to offset the existing myopia, and you still need to wear a pair of low-power frame glasses during the day to see clearly.

In addition, frame glasses may be needed during the waiting period and the period of stopping wearing OK glasses. Therefore, OK glasses can help children get rid of frame glasses to a large extent, but they cannot cure myopia, and frame glasses are still needed in special circumstances.

Will the degree of my eye increase if I wear OK lenses?

Rapid elongation of the eye axis means progression of myopia.

Traditional glasses will cause peripheral objects to focus behind the retina and cannot control the elongation of the eye axis and the progression of myopia; OK lenses cause the cornea to form a ring-shaped defocus area, allowing peripheral objects to focus in front of the retina, inhibiting the elongation of the eye axis and the progression of myopia.

However, myopia is the result of multiple factors. If children are only given OK glasses but no efforts are made to reduce the intensity of their eye use, the degree of myopia will still increase.

In addition to OK glasses, are there any other options for preventing and controlling myopia?

Comprehensive prevention and control measures for myopia include increasing outdoor activities, reducing eye use, optical intervention, and drug intervention.

OK lenses are an important means of optical intervention. In addition, there are other optical intervention methods such as defocused frame lenses, daily wear soft lenses, and daily wear hard lenses.

Is it safe for OK lenses to contact the cornea?

In the 1990s, OK glasses were rapidly promoted in the absence of effective supervision.

In recent years, the production, operation, and fitting of OK lenses have been continuously standardized, the oxygen permeability of materials has been greatly improved, and safety has been significantly improved. To ensure corneal safety, it is recommended to follow standardized fitting, careful care, and regular review.

How to take care of OK lenses on a daily basis?

Keep your nails short and be careful not to damage your OK lenses when handling them. Make sure your hands are warm, soft, and clean before putting them on or cleaning them. Replace the lens case and suction rod regularly and have your lenses checked by a doctor regularly.

Parents should personally take care of and take off contact lenses for younger children. Older children should also take off contact lenses under the guidance of their parents. Parents should not leave their children alone.

I have been wearing OK lenses for a long time. Do I need a follow-up check?

Wearing OK lenses should be checked every 3 months. If you experience red eyes, decreased vision, or other discomfort, stop wearing them and see a doctor immediately.

At present, the phenomenon of "focusing on fitting and neglecting rechecking" still exists in some non-standard optician institutions. Therefore, regular rechecking is an important guarantee for safety.

In what situations can you wear OK lenses?

Children over 8 years old who wish to control myopia, temporarily get rid of frame glasses, and have good hygiene habits and cooperation can ask a doctor to evaluate the suitability of OK lenses, including the degree of myopia, eyelid shape, corneal shape, corneal diameter, whether there are other eye diseases, etc.

It is not easy to use OK lenses safely and effectively. Multiple measures should be taken to prevent and control myopia. Xiehe Eye Hospital will work with you!

You can also follow the official WeChat public account of Union Eye Hospital "协守光明1921", search for keywords that interest you, and get more eye science knowledge!

About the author: Wang Erxi

Chief physician of the Department of Ophthalmology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, he specializes in the prevention and control of myopia in children and adolescents, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of various refractive errors in children.

About the author: Xu Haiyan

Chief physician of the Department of Ophthalmology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, he is good at diagnosing and treating myopia, astigmatism, hyperopia, amblyopia and strabismus in adolescents.

Audit expert: Li Hui

Chief physician of the Department of Ophthalmology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, he specializes in eye refraction, strabismus and amblyopia. In recent years, he has conducted relevant research on the occurrence and development of myopia in adolescents and the treatment and prevention of thyroid-related eye diseases.

Content from: Wang Erxi, Xu Haiyan, and doctors at Peking Union Medical College Hospital