Effect of short-term orthokeratology lens or ordinary frame glasses wear on corneal thickness, corneal endothelial cells and vision correction in adolescents with low to moderate myopia

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the effect of short-term orthokeratology lens or frame glasses wear on corneal thickness, corneal endothelial cells and vision correction in adolescents with low to moderate myopia. METHODS: Data of 100 adolescents with low to moderate myopia were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were assigned into two groups. The experimental group were treated with night-wear orthokeratology lens, and control group were treated with ordinary frame glasses. Follow up was carried out at the 3rd, 6th and 12th months of treatment. The naked-eye vision, diopter, corneal curvature, intraocular pressure, axial length, endothelial cell count and central corneal thickness were examined. Complications within 12 months were observed, and corneal fluorescein staining was graded. RESULTS: The naked-eye vision of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group at the 3rd, 6th and 12th months, while the diopter of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group at these time points. The corneal curvature of the experimental group was significantly decreased when comparing with that of the control group at the above 3 time points. The increase of axial length in the experimental group was significantly less than that in the control group at the 6th and 12th months. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term orthokeratology lens wear can effectively improve the naked-eye vision in adolescents with low to moderate myopia without significant impact on the central corneal thickness and corneal endothelial cells. It is a relatively safe method to correct myopia.