Children with myopia choose OK lenses or myopic glasses?

Known simply as OK lenses, keratomileusis is a rigid, gas permeable contact lens designed to be flat in the center with a steep periphery. Since overuse of the eye can lead to elongation of the eye axis and changes in the position of the eye’s imaging, keratoplasty lenses are worn for 6 to 8 hours at night to flatten the curvature of the central area of the cornea within a certain range, temporarily reducing myopia for correction purposes. From 1999 to 2003, the corneal infection associated with OK lenses attracted a lot of criticism, and the research on OK lenses for myopia correction was at a low point. Recently, the Chinese University of Hong Kong Eye Hospital reviewed 23 cases of OK lens-associated corneal infections from 2003 to 2013 in a report, of which 14 cases found pathogenic bacteria in OK lens lenses or care solutions, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and echinococcosis amoebae being the top three pathogens. The current incidence of corneal infections associated with keratoplasty lenses is 7.7 per 10,000, and the time from lens wear to serious infection in infected patients ranges from 3 months to 10 years, with an average of 2.7 years. These patients recovered well after treatment without serious visual impairment due to timely consultation. The report is of considerable reference value due to the closer economic and cultural background of Hong Kong and Shanghai. Although the incidence of corneal infections caused by OK lenses has been very low, and the number of patients found to be infected in the past decade has decreased significantly compared to 1999-2003, there are still some areas that require special attention. For example, children should not be careless when wearing OK lenses, and they should visit the hospital regularly for follow-up and pay attention to the life span of the lenses. The maximum life span of OK lenses is 2 years, after that, all the indicators of the lenses will decrease, and the surface wear is significant, if you do not pay attention to hygiene, it will easily lead to corneal infection, and now the developed countries and regions advocate the annual replacement of OK lenses. It must be reminded that OK lenses are professional medical devices and parents of myopic children should choose a qualified and regular medical institution for fitting and follow the doctor’s instructions strictly after wearing the lenses to arrange follow-up examinations.