Posters

Moulding a multifocal pattern into the cornea epithelium with multifocal orthokeratology (MOK) results in arresting myopia progression in children

Poster Details

First Author: M.Kynigopoulos SWITZERLAND

Co Author(s):    M. Loertscher   J. Phillips           

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To investigate the efficacy of a novel multifocal orthokeratology (MOK) lens in slowing axial eye growth and myopia progression in children. Overnight MOK lens wear molds a concentric, multifocal surface on the anterior cornea.

Setting:

University Eye Clinic, The University of Auckland, School of Optometry and Vision Science, New Zealand

Methods:

Thirty children with mean spherical refraction of -2.71 ± 0.76 D a mean age of 12.2 ± 1.3 years and a mean myopia progression of 0.92 ± 0.32 / year, were enrolled in an 18 month, prospective, paired-eye comparison, investigator-masked study. Each child wore a MOK lens in one randomly assigned eye and a conventional orthokeratology (OK) lens in the fellow eye. Myopia progression was monitored with low-coherence reflectometry (Lenstar LS 900, Haag Streit) by measuring the change in axial length (AL) and choroidal thickness (CHR).

Results:

Eyes fitted with MOK and OK showed a significant difference in AL elongation over the study period (-0.098 ± 0.029mm, p = 0.001). Eyes wearing OK showed an increase in AL (+0.129 ± 0.02 mm, p = 0.001) thus a further worsening of axial myopia whereas eyes wearing MOK did no longer show any myopia progression (-0.044 ± 0.04 mm, p = 1.00). MOK induced a thickening of the choroid of 0.031 ± 0.14 mm at the end of the study whereas eyes wearing OK showed a reduction in CHR thickness of -0.024 ± 0.015 mm (p = 0.002).

Conclusions:

MOK arrested the progression of axial myopia in children with progressive myopia for at least 18 months, whereas fellow eyes fitted with conventional OK lenses continued to elongate. Therefore, the results are very promising as an effective treatment for myopia control in children. Our results suggest that choroidal thickening may be an important factor in preventing eye elongation and myopia progression FINANCIAL DISCLOUSRE: One or more of the authors receives non-monetary benefits from a company producing, developing or supplying the product or procedure presented.