In my last article, I discussed how adults can be good candidates for ortho-k use in addition to children. I want to build off that topic in this issue and discuss how patients of all ages benefit from ortho-k use beyond just improvements to their vision. Of course, the benefits start with vision, but they transfer to many aspects of patients’ lives.

We initiate ortho-k lens wear in kids to control the progression of their myopia. As an added benefit, ortho-k also corrects their near-sightedness and provides clear daytime vision that is free from glasses and contact lenses. Being able to provide both vision correction and reduce the risk of potential ocular diseases is enough for me to keep orthokeratology a high priority in my practice, but it provides so much more than vision benefits alone for these kids.

One of my favorite things about starting kids in orthokeratology lenses is watching their confidence grow during the initial fitting process. In a matter of months, they are more conversational with me in the exam room and parents report excellent responsibility and ownership of their lenses at home. Studies have shown that kids who wear ortho-k lenses report improved quality of life.^1,2 They are more self-confident and willing to try new things compared to kids who wear single-vision spectacles. Kids using ortho-k lenses are also more likely to participate in sports and therefore spend more time outdoors, which everyone needs in the current digital era. Lastly, kids who use ortho-k report higher overall vision scores compared to those who wear single-vision spectacles, so it’s no surprise that kids using ortho-k lenses are enthusiastic about sharing their new vision experience with their friends. But don’t just take my word for it. Listen to Owen’s thoughts on how ortho-k has worked for him here.

Kids are not the only group of patients who experience improvements in their quality of life. Adults also report a positive wearing experience. In a study comparing adults wearing single-vision soft contact lenses and orthokeratology lenses, 68% preferred wearing ortho-k lenses. Adults who wore ortho-k lenses also reported far fewer symptoms of itching, burning, and dryness related to contact lens use. While the ortho-k wearing group did report some glare awareness — likely related to the spherical aberration created by the corneal shape change — visual acuity was comparable between the ortho-k and soft lens-wearing groups. In my experience, adults are open to the option of orthokeratology and often welcome it if they begin to feel less tolerant of their soft contact lenses. I would encourage you to keep orthokeratology for adults on your list of options for patients when they have symptoms related to their soft contact lens wear, rather than immediately defaulting to refractive surgery.

As prescribers, we cannot overlook the value in vision and quality of life that orthokeratology brings to our patients. As you recommend orthokeratology to more patients, your practice might see a little bump in quality of life, too.

REFERENCES

1. Lipson MJ, Boland B, McAlinden C. Vision-related quality of life with myopia management: A review. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2022 Jun;45(3):101538.

2. McAlinden C, Lipson M. Orthokeratology and Contact Lens Quality of Life Questionnaire (OCL-QoL). Eye Contact Lens. 2018 Sep;44(5):279-285.