Effect of orthokeratology on peripheral aberrations of the eye.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of orthokeratology on peripheral aberrations in two myopic volunteers.

METHODS

The subjects wore reverse geometry orthokeratology lenses overnight and were monitored for 2 weeks of wear. They underwent corneal topography, peripheral refraction (out to +/-34 degrees along the horizontal visual field) and peripheral aberration measurements across the 42 degrees x 32 degrees central visual field using a modified Hartmann-Shack aberrometer.

RESULTS

Spherical equivalent refraction was corrected for the central 25 degrees of the visual fields beyond which it gradually returned to its preorthokeratology values. There were increases in axial coma, spherical aberration, higher order root mean square aberrations, and total root-mean-squared aberrations (excluding defocus). The rates of change of vertical and horizontal coma across the field changed in sign. Total root mean square aberrations showed a quadratic rate of change across the visual field which was greater subsequent to orthokeratology.

CONCLUSION

Although orthokeratology can correct peripheral relative hypermetropia it induces dramatic increases in higher-order aberrations across the field.