Abstract:

Objective To investigate the clinical effects of rigid gas permeable contact lens (RGPCL) on adolescents with myopia and myopic astigmatism. Design Retrospective case series. Participants 101 adolescents (202 eyes) with myopia and myopic astigmatism. Methods 51 adolescents (102 eyes) with myopia and myopic astigmatism were fitted with RGPCL and followed up for 8 years. The changes of the corneal curvature, spherical and cylindrical refractive error and corneal astigmatism were measured every year. The control group consisted of 50 cases (100 eyes) with continuous spectacles wearing for more than 6 years, with the changes of spherical and cylindrical refractive error measured every year. Main Outcome Measures Corneal curvature, spherical refractive error, cylindrical refractive error, corneal astigmatism. Results The mean radius of corneal curvature increased (0.10±0.17) mm with RGPCL for 8 years. The spherical refractive error increased by (-1.88±0.32) D. The ocular cylindrical refractive error decreased by (-0.28±0.21) D, and corneal stigmatism decreased by (-0.40±0.20) D. All the differences were statistically significant (t=-3.285, -29.536, 12.803, 10.025; all P<0.001 respectively). During the 6-year follow up, the ocular spherical and cylindrical refractive error increased by (-2.73±0.37) D and (-0.32±0.34) D respectively, and the differences were statistically significant compared to the baseline data (t=-35.063, -5.457; both P<0.001). The growth of spherical and cylindrical error in RGPCL wearers was lower than spectacle wearers (t=-14.036, -14.955; both P<0.001). Conclusion Myopia progression can be controlled by long-term RGPCL wearing. RGPCL has a mild effect on corneal shape. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2017, 26: 303-306)

Key words: rigid gas permeable contact lens, myopia, adolescent