Comparison of visual performance between peripheral gradient high‐addition multifocal soft contact lenses and orthokeratology

Abstract

AbstractPurposeThe aim of this study was to evaluate the short‐term effects of peripheral gradient high‐addition multifocal soft contact lenses (MFSCLs) and orthokeratology (Ortho‐K lenses) on visual performance in myopic children.MethodsThirty myopic children participated in this prospective study. Each participant wore different sets of lenses in the following sequence: single‐vision spectacles (SVSPs) as a control, MFSCLs and Ortho‐K lenses. Ocular aberrations, topography, high‐contrast visual acuity (HCVA), low‐contrast visual acuity (LCVA) and accommodation of the right eye were measured with each type of correction on a different day.ResultsCompared with SVSPs, high‐addition MFSCLs and Ortho‐K lenses significantly increased all items of aberrations (all p < 0.05) except trefoil (p = 0.17). MFSCLs induced less coma, root mean square of the third‐order aberration (RMS3) and higher order aberrations than Ortho‐K lenses (all p < 0.05). No significant difference in HCVA was found across the three correction types (F = 1.19, p = 0.39). In terms of LCVA, MFSCLs performed significantly poorer than SVSPs (difference, 0.16 logMAR; p = 0.001) and slightly worse than Ortho‐K lenses (difference, 0.08 logMAR; p = 0.35). No significant difference in decentration was found between the two types of contact lenses, and no associations were observed between decentration and visual acuity at both high‐ and low‐contrast levels (all p > 0.05). For MFSCLs, decentration was positively related to coma (r = 0.43, p = 0.02) and RMS3 (r = 0.44, p = 0.02), which was not the case for Ortho‐K lenses. Accommodative facility was worse with MFSCLs than Ortho‐K lenses (p = 0.001).ConclusionMultifocal soft contact lenses differed from Ortho‐K lenses in aberration profile and LCVA, although decentration was similar. Decentration <1 mm had minimal influence on both HCVA and LCVA for either type of correction, but significantly increased third‐order aberrations for MFSCLs, but not Ortho‐K lenses.