October 14, 2005
New Sight
Ortho-K technology has been around since the Sixties but it has only recently become affordable. It is a technique that corrects short sight (so for all long-sighted people it's a no go) as you sleep.
Orthokeratology, now becoming widely available in Britain, uses contact lenses worn at night to correct the curvature of the eye. When you wake up in the morning and remove the lenses, you can see perfectly. The effect lasts long enough to get you through the entire day - and for some users, two days - before the world goes fuzzy again and it's time to put your lenses back in and go to sleep. Short-sighted people have eyes that are too powerful, focusing light before it reaches the retina. these lenses work by flattening the cornea so that it is a less powerful lens.
The company, based in Hastings, uses the data to make hard, gas permeable contact lenses with a curvature calculated to squeeze each eye gently in the right places. The method is widely used in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and the US. Ian Goble, of No 7 Contact Lenses, estimates that there are about 18,000 users in Europe. The lenses, originally developed by the Dutch company Procornea, are available from several UK suppliers. They are prescribed by High Street opticians who have been trained in the technique. A study at Ohio State University five years ago showed that after seven nights, seven out of eight volunteers had significant improvements. After two months, all could see clearly.
Prices vary depending on the lenses that are being fitted, but it is generally £100 - £195 for initial consultation and fitting and then £40 per month.
Pros
- Freedom from contact lenses and glasses during the day
- Very easy adaptation, only overnight lens wear is required, and in some cases lenses can be left out up to three days, and good vision will still be maintained.
- A comfortable semi-permanent alternative for the correction of short sightedness
- You are able to see even when you have them in at night
- Our eye will receive natural oxygen levels, uninhibited by contact lenses in the day.
- Research shows that the whole OrthoK process is 100% reversible. So if you decide to stop wearing OrthoK for whatever reason, the eye will return to its original shape and you will see clearly with your glasses or regular contact lenses again.
- The experience indicates that overnight OrthoK use may slow down the progression of short sightedness (myopia).
Cons
- Not suitable for people who are very short sighted -5.0 Dioptres or those with very high or irregular astigmatism >-2.00Cyl
- During the first few days, annoying reflections as with Lasik Eye surgery can occur, but these soon disappear
- Not suitable for anybody with a medical condition like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems or eye conditions like Keratoconus, Detached Retina, recurrent eye infections, etc or patients with thinned corneas especially if you have already had laser eye treatment
- Those with varying sleeping patterns whereby they don't achieve 6hrs of sleep at least during the adaptation period.
- These lenses were banned in China - although it is reported that they went about it the wrong way. It was freely available over the counter, so many people used them without using the proper equipment or being offered any regular follow ups or aftercare. As a result many people ended up with corneal ulcers. And as Charles likes to say "They ended up with tears in theirs eyes!"