Am I a Candidate for Orthokeratology?
WHO IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR ORTHO-K?
CHILDREN WITH PROGRESSIVE MYOPIA
Ortho-K lenses are one of the most effective treatments for children with progressive myopia (short sightedness). Ortho-K is scientifically proven to dramatically slow, or potentially halt the progression of myopia and can have a positive impact on the long-term health of your child’s eye. Wearing Ortho-K lenses only at night gives kids the freedom to run around, play sports and wear fashion sunglasses during the day without worrying about their glasses or contact lenses in the eye.
ADULTS WHO WANT FREEDOM FROM THEIR GLASSES OR DAY WEAR CONTACT LENSES AND ARE NOT CANDIDATES FOR LASIK
The cost of Ortho-K vision correction is much less than the cost of laser vision correction. Ortho-K is completely reversible and does not have the potential to worsen your dry eyes to the same extent as laser correction. Also, as patients reach their mid-forties and start needing help for their near vision, Ortho-K therapy can be modified to give clear vision at all distances without a pair of glasses, unlike a one-off laser procedure.
PEOPLE WHO PLAY SPORTS — ESPECIALLY CONTACT AND WATER SPORTS
You can enjoy the freedom of playing sports without worrying about your glasses getting damaged or your contact lenses falling out. Ortho-K lenses are only worn at night while you sleep, leaving you with perfect vision during the day on the sports field, court or in the swimming pool.
PEOPLE WORKING IN DUSTY OR DIRTY ENVIRONMENTS
Dusty or dirty environments can play havoc with contact lenses and glasses. If you’re a tradesman who needs to squeeze into tight spaces or work in dusty work conditions, Ortho-K lenses will allow you to see clearly and get on with the job.
PEOPLE WITH DRY EYES OR ALLERGIES
Ortho-K lenses are great if you suffer from allergies or dry eyes and work long hours on the computer or in air conditioned environments and don’t wish to wear glasses or contact lenses.
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No. If you stop wearing the Ortho-K lenses, your vision will return to its original state within one to four weeks.
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Any contact lens has the potential to cause an infection in your eyes. Research shows the rate of infection using Ortho-K lenses is less than half compared to overnight wear of extended wear soft contact lenses.
Using correct hygiene and lens care regimes as well as replacing the lenses every one to two years significantly reduces the risk of Ortho-K related complications.
A poorly fitted Ortho-K lens can result in corneal staining, which comprises the outer layer on the cornea, and increases the risk for infection. Rather than fit Ortho-K lenses through trial and error using a diagnostic lens from a trial case, Dr. Koh uses a specialized tool called the Medmont Corneal Topographer to take thousands of data points of the corneal shape in order to customize a lens to fit your eye.
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Item descriptionMost patients have rapid improvement in the first few days of therapy. Usually, after the first night of wear, 50% of the required correction is achieved. Optimum, stable vision for most will require between 10-14 days of treatment depending on the prescription.
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The myopia control effect will last as long as you use your Ortho-K lenses. There is no research or anecdotal reports of patients ‘rebounding’ after ceasing Ortho-K contact lenses. It’s expected that patients who start Ortho-K contact lens wear for myopia control continue to use these until their early twenties when myopia tends to stabilise. The decision to stop Ortho-K should be made with your optometrist, and prescription and eye length should be closely monitored for possible regression. In most cases, patients are so happy with their Ortho-K lenses that they continue to wear them well into adulthood!
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IThe recommendation is to replace your Ortho-K lenses every one to two years depending on their condition. Timely replacement of the lenses maximises the quality of the Ortho-K reshaping, as wear and tear will compromise its effect over time. Regular replacement decreases the chance of infection or inflammatory events from a scratched or dirty lens.
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During the initial period of therapy, you will need to wear your lenses every night to ensure clear vision during the day. As the correction stabilises, some people with low prescriptions may still get great daytime vision by wearing the lenses only every second night. However, this is not guaranteed. Patients requiring higher prescription correction with Ortho-K will most likely need to wear the lenses every night for optimum vision.
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The cost of Ortho-K vision correction is much less than the cost of laser vision correction. Ortho-K is completely reversible and does not have the potential to worsen your dry eyes to the same extent as laser correction. Also, as patients reach their mid-forties and start needing help for their near vision, Ortho-K therapy can be modified to give clear vision at all distances without a pair of glasses, unlike a one-off laser procedure.
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Most people will notice a slight deterioration in the quality of their vision the next day due to the cornea slowly changing back to its original shape. Restarting the Ortho-K therapy the next night will restore your vision within a day or two.
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Yes, while the back surface of the lens reshapes your eye, the front surface of the lens provides clear optics for your vision. One of the great features of Ortho-K is your vision will always be clear whether the lenses are in or out of the eye. That means if you get up at night you will still be able to see. We do not recommend wearing your Ortho-K lenses during the day as this may compromise corneal health and vision over time.
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You will need purchase solutions to store and clean your lenses, as well as lubricating drops for lens insertion. Back up lenses are generally recommended for patients so that your treatment is not halted if lenses are lost or broken
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A full eye exam is required within the past year - you will then book a consultation for the orthokeratology program with our optometrist, Dr. Koh. The overall health of the eye, as well as vision and corneal shape, will be assessed to establish if your eyes are suitable.