Utility of orthokeratology contact lenses; efficacy of myopia correction and level of patient satisfaction in Iranian myopic/myope-astigmatic patients

PURPOSE: To investigate the medical profiles of patients referred to Iran Lens Clinic with myopic/myope-astigmatic refractive errors. METHODS: Medical records of 182 patients (364 eyes) with myopic/myope-astigmatic refractive errors that underwent orthokeratology contact lens wear and fulfilled a 6-month period of follow-up were recruited. Efficacy and safety of these contact lenses in improving the visual acuity and correction of the refractive errors were investigated. Time needed to achieve final targeted visual acuity and association of various factors in this time course and level of acuity were investigated. Complications related to these lenses that were recorded in the medical profiles were studied. RESULTS: In manifest refraction, the amount of spherical equivalent and myopia decreased significantly after orthokeratology contact lens wear (P < 0.001). A significant negative association was found between amount of mean baseline spherical equivalent and final achieved mean uncorrected visual acuity (P < 0.001). None of the parameters of age, gender, and keratometric findings influenced the outcomes significantly (P > 0.1). CONCLUSION: Patients with myopic refractive error lower than -5.0 Diopters achieved higher final visual acuities rather than patients with higher amounts of myopic refractive errors.