A Canadian practitioner in Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) treatment offered hands-on experience to local eye care professionals, preparing the SAR for special corrective lenses that have proved successful with Chinese people.
Dr Edward Chow Shu-ko, who has practised Ortho-K for more than 25 years in Canada, said the beauty of Ortho-K lenses was that they encouraged the cornea to return to its original shape.
But the K lenses had to be tailor-made or were uncomfortable, Dr Chow said.
Also, shortsighted people were required to wear the Ortho-K lenses constantly if they wanted to correct their cornea.
And even if their condition improved, they had to continue wearing the lenses to further improve their vision.
Ortho-K treatment has been practised successfully in the United States and Canada for more than 30 years but is relatively new in Asia.
Dr Chow said a research student at PolyU's Department of Optometry and Radiography, Thomas Lui Wai-on, had discovered it was more effective with Chinese people as they had a small cornea.