Short-Term Effects of Overnight Orthokeratology on Corneal Sensitivity in Chinese Children and Adolescents

Purpose. To assess the effects of the 3-month period of orthokeratology (OK) treatment on corneal sensitivity in Chinese children and adolescents. Methods. Thirty subjects wore overnight OK lenses in both eyes for 3 months and were assessed at baseline, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after the treatment. Changes in corneal sensitivity were measured by the Cochet–Bonnet (COBO) esthesiometer at the corneal apex and approximately 2 mm from the temporal limbus. Changes in refraction and corneal topography were also measured. Results. Central corneal sensitivity suffered a significant reduction within the first month of the OK treatment period but returned to the baseline level at three months (F = 3.009, ), while no statistically significant difference occurred in temporal sensitivity (F = 2.462, ). The baseline of central corneal sensitivity correlated with age (r = −0.369, ). A marked change in refraction (uncorrected visual acuity, ; spherical equivalent, ) and corneal topographical condition (mean keratometry reading, ; eccentricity value, ; Surface Regularity Index, ) occurred, but none of these measurements were correlated with corneal sensitivity. Conclusions. A 3-month period OK treatment causes a reduction in central corneal sensitivity in Chinese children and adolescents but with a final recovery to the baseline level, which might be because neuronal adaptation occurred earlier in children and adolescents than in adults.