The regression of corneal curvature after orthokeratology

Objective To evaluate the long-term influence on corneal curvature after stopping orthokeratology treatment.Methods Eighty patients who underwent orthokeratology treatment in our hospital from May 1999 to May 2001 were monitored. The age range was 15～17 yr with myopia from-1.00 D～-4.00 D. They underwent orthokeratology treatments for 3～12 months,then treatment was suspended. Corneal curvature measurements were taken at 1 week and 1?3 and 6 months and 1?2 and 3 years after suspending orthokeratology treatment. Another 80 myopia patients who wore spectacles were enrolled as the control group.Results There were significant changes in corneal curvature (P0.001,P0.05) during the first 3 months after suspending orthokeratology treatments. However,all corneal curvature measurement changes were not significant after 3 months. There was no significant difference between the study group and the control group after 3 months.Conclusion After orthokeratology,changes in corneal curvature occurred during the first 3 months when the corneal curvature approached the measurements for untreated eyes. Short-term orthokeratology treatment does not permanently change corneal curvature. Treated eye revert back to untreated levels within 3 months.