Tired of your glasses and not completely satisfied with your lenses or ready for refractive surgery? Why not try orthokeratology? This technique involves wearing lenses at night to correct vision during the day. EyePractice explains everything to you.
In recent years, we have witnessed the appearance in Singapore of a new type of myopia correction thanks to so-called “revolutionary” lenses. These special rigid lenses are made to measure after an in-depth study of the wearer’s eyes thanks to a topography of the eye which makes it possible to observe the reliefs of the cornea.
Ortho-K or Orthokeratology is a technique where the night-time wearing of a rigid lens is used for the correction of myopia. The lens has a radius of curvature calculated to “crush” the center of the cornea, which in the long run causes a remodeling of the corneal epithelium (superficial tunic of the cornea). This flattening reduces the optical power of the cornea and makes it possible to reduce or even correct myopia. It is not a surgical technique, and the effect of the correction decreases during the day. The degree of myopia correction possible with this technique is approximately 3 diopters.
Concretely, this amounts to wearing contact lenses at night so as not to wear glasses or contact lenses during the day. The lens geometry is designed to flatten the central part of the cornea to gradually correct myopia and/or astigmatism.
The lenses are placed on the eyes in the evening, at bedtime, and are removed every morning upon waking.
This technique, which has been widely proven, does not present any risks and is completely reversible when you stop wearing the lenses.
Once the lenses are in his habit, the patient must insert them every evening, at bedtime. It is when his eyes are closed that the lenses will compress the cornea and reduce its curvature during the night, providing clear vision throughout the following day. The restoration of blurred vision will be done slowly and gradually at the very end of the day. Eye care and ear care both are important as they are they allow us to feel two main senses that’s why Hearing test is also important.
The process is not suitable for all patients, as it relies on a certain eye structure. Some people, for example, have particularly steep or flat corneal curves, and these may not derive much benefit from the procedure. Among the patients for whom the method is often recommended are people who have difficulty wearing contact lenses during the day, for example, because they work in a dusty environment, or spend a very large part of their time working with computer screens, or practicing certain sporting activities. Activities that may make them prone to losing contact lenses.
The material from which orthokeratological contact lenses are made is crucial to maintaining eye health. Wearing contact lenses can compromise the amount of oxygen available to the eye, and complications can result from oxygen deprivation, called corneal hypoxia. In extreme cases, this can lead to corneal ulcers, bleeding and blurred vision.
What are the benefits of orthokeratology?
The main advantage is the absence of optical correction during the day.
Thus orthokeratology is completely indicated in the following cases:
- the practice of a sport such as combat sports, sports in the pool or in contact with water
- working in an air-conditioned environment or in dusty environments
- for children over 10 years old
- as an alternative to refractive surgery
- for people intolerant to lentils
This technique is recommended as a priority for children whose myopia is progressing because studies prove a beneficial action in slowing the progression of myopia.
