Post-Ortho-K Corneal Epithelium Changes in Myopic Eyes

Abstract

The study is aimed at evaluating corneal epithelial thickness changes associated with overnight orthokeratology (ortho-K). In this retrospective study, epithelial thickness was measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT) before and after 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months ortho-K nightly lens wear. Compared with pre-orthokeratology measurements, central (2 mm) corneal epithelium thickness was significantly reduced at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months with ortho-K ( $P<0.05$ ). Paracentral (2 mm~5 mm annular ring) epithelial thickness was also significantly reduced at superior temporal, inferior temporal, temporal, and inferior locations after ortho-K ( $P<0.05$ ), while midperipheral (5 mm~6 mm annular ring) epithelial thickness was greater post- than pre-ortho-K at superior, superior temporal, inferior temporal, inferior, and inferior nasal locations ( $P<0.05$ ). In other zones, superior, superior nasal, nasal, and inferior nasal in paracentral annular ring and temporal and superior nasal in midperipheral ring, epithelial thickness underwent no significant change. Ortho-K lens wear caused the central corneal epitheliums to thin. The temporal half zones become thinner in paracentral zones and thicker in midperipheral zones.