Myopia Control in Children According to the American Ortho-K Society

According to Dr. Nghiem Thi Thu Trang, Ophthalmology Department at Hanoi French Hospital: “Myopia control involves using specific treatments to manage the axial length of the eyeball, thereby slowing the progression of myopia in young children. Early detection and appropriate intervention are crucial to mitigate the negative effects of myopia on a child’s overall development."

The main benefits of early myopia control in children include:

• Preventing the progression of myopia
• Improving quality of life: Stable vision allows children to engage more easily in learning, sports, and other daily activities
• Long-term eye health protection: Experts indicate that reducing a child’s myopia by even 1 diopter can significantly decrease the risk of severe eye conditions, such as glaucoma, cataracts, retinal detachment, or myopic maculopathy
• Cost-saving: Early correction of myopia helps reduce the frequency of lens changes, saving on treatment and examination costs, and lowers the future need for surgical interventions

Dr. Trang highlights that Ortho-K is currently the recommended solution for myopia control, especially for children.

Ortho-K (Orthokeratology) is a temporary refractive correction method that works by reshaping the cornea with a specially designed rigid contact lens worn at night (for an average of 6-8 hours per night).

• In the morning, after removing the lens, the eyes can achieve clear vision (20/20) without strain, providing normal vision without the need for glasses or contact lenses during the day
• The lens is made from a special high-permeability material, certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, ensuring sufficient oxygen supply to the cornea
• Wearing Ortho-K lenses allows children to maintain the structure of the eye, reshape the cornea during sleep, and, when used correctly, prevents damage to the cornea while slowing the progression of myopia.

At the Ophthalmology Department of Hanoi French Hospital, we follow stringent Western standards in the design and guidance process for Ortho-K lenses, offering:

• A team of internationally trained doctors, certified by the American Academy of Orthokeratology and members of the Asia-Pacific Ortho-K Association
• Global OK-Vision Ortho-K lenses personalized to each individual’s eye structure, manufactured in the U.S. and approved by the FDA.
• Customized lens designs for each patient. Before ordering lenses, the doctor performs an eye exam and corneal topography to create lenses tailored to the patient’s eye structure, ensuring the most suitable treatment plan
• A safe cleaning and handling protocol based on the latest recommendations from the American Ortho-K Society
• “Gold standard” results in reducing refractive error progression by approximately 50% in children, with some children experiencing even better outcomes.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Nghiem Thi Thu Trang, an Ortho-K specialist, please call the hotline 024 357 1100, message the "Hanoi French Hospital" Facebook fan page, or contact our Zalo official account at zalo.me/2008009049335817955.