More evidence supporting Ortho-K for children – available on the Gold Coast
A recent study monitored axial length in myopic children and found significantly decreased axial length changes in children wearing Ortho-K compared to spectacles. This study was conducted over 5 years and makes a nice addition to the data available so far.
Ortho K Gold Coast Conference Highlights
We’ve been fitting Ortho-K on the Gold Coast for nearly a decade, but when you tell people about it, they just find it hard to believe that it works. The latest Orthokeratology Society meeting was held this weekend and the Sheraton Mirage Gold Coast, and it great to see the wealth of ongoing research and development of this great field. The main messages were:
High Myopia and Ortho-K Available on the Gold Coast
High Myopia and Ortho-K
Ortho-K is demonstrating increasing promise as a potential method for slowing the progression of myopia in children and teens. In the past, the potential for Ortho-K to be used for both a sight correcting technique and for myopia control was limited by a person’s initial prescription. Up to approximately -4.50 was considered the limit for Ortho-K. There are two approaches they are considered when faced with higher myopia prescriptions and Ortho-K is being considered.
Orthokeratology/Ortho K Update
In 2003, we introduced to the Gold Coast, a unique form of contact lens wear that allows the wearer to sleep in the lens, remove it on waking and maintain good sight all day, usually without need for further correction. Ortho-K, or Orthokeratology started out as an alternative to regular contact lens wear, glasses and laser surgery. However, it is now recognised that Ortho K not only helps you see, it actually significantly slows prescription changes in children and teens.
Shedding A Little Light on Myopia
Myopia is an epidemic that is rapidly on the increase in our modernised world. The number of people tipped to become myopic in the next few decades is predicted to hit 50% of the population globally. 95% of Korean young adult males are myopic, in the US the rate of myopia has increase from 25% a few decades ago to nearly 40% now. Australia currently sits around 30% but is tipped to increase to 50%.