This article was written by Rachael Smith at Rawlings Opticians & Hearing Care.
For people who are short sighted and used to waking up to a blurry world, Orthokeratology – or Ortho-K – can seem like a dream come true.
What are Ortho-K lenses?
Ortho-K contact lenses are worn by short-sighted (myopic) adults or children overnight whilst asleep to gently reshape the front surface of the eye. In the morning the lenses are removed and the result is unaided clear vision – removing the need to wear either glasses or contact lenses during the daytime.
These lenses have been used to correct short-sightedness in Asia since the 1960’s, and has been used in the UK for over 20 years. It has grown in popularity since the discovery that not only does Ortho-K offer the convenience of overnight vision correction, in the majority of children who use them they also slow down (or in some cases stop) myopic progression.
There is a global epidemic of myopia, and not only does being myopic limit career choice, it also increases the chances of eye disease in later life.
Keeping myopia down to the lowest level possible is the aim of Myopia Management and along with spectacle lens treatment options such as Miyosmart and Stellest, and daily disposable soft lens treatments like MiSight, studies show that Ortho-K has a comparable if not better success rate.
We expect that drug treatments (low dose atropine drops) will be licensed in the UK in coming years, and this will increase success further when used in combination with Ortho-K.
The benefits of Ortho-K lenses
Parents are often keen on these lenses for their children for other reasons- the lenses don’t need to leave the house so there is no worry about losing a lens during the school day.
Additionally for adults or children who enjoy swimming or other water sports where standard contact lenses cannot safely be used or glasses would be inconvenient, having vision corrected by Ortho-K gives ultimate freedom to see unaided!
Environmental factors such as air-conditioning or hours of screen use can cause dryness issues with contact lenses – Ortho-K removes this issue as there is no lens wear during the day. This is a common reason for switching from other lens types.
The effect is completely reversible – so if the lenses aren’t worn for a week the eye will revert to its previous myopic state. Some adults prefer this reversibility to having a permanent laser treatment, or decide to have Ortho-K for a period of time to decide whether laser treatment is a good option for them.
Shiftwork is usually not a problem, as the lenses also give clear vision when worn awake so as long as they are in the eyes for 7 or 8 hours during a 24 hour period, clarity of vision will be maintained.
The Ortho-K procedure
Being fitted with Ortho-K lenses is a simple procedure – measurements are taken using a specialist piece of equipment called a topographer, similar to a camera except that in a matter of seconds it maps the shape of the front of the eye.
This map is then sent to the laboratory where the lenses are individually custom made. Once the lenses have arrived, a ‘handling & hygiene’ session on applying and removing the lenses and how to take care of them is required, as well as checking that the lenses fit correctly.
Once we are confident in the ability to handle them the lenses are taken home for the first exciting overnight wear! There is then a check up the following morning, and a further check a week later.
Ortho-K aftercare
During the first year scheduled additional aftercare checks are required and lenses are replaced 6 monthly. Once wear is established, twice yearly checks are arranged to ensure the lenses continue to fit correctly and that vision is corrected optimally.
Rawlings Opticians offer Ortho-K in Hampshire and Surrey, at Winchester and from summer 2024 at our Purley branch in Surrey. Most myopic prescriptions are suitable, however some prescriptions cannot be corrected due to limitations in lens design.
We welcome patients from other opticians. If you would like more information or if you would like to find out whether your short-sighted prescription is suitable for Ortho-K, please email us at winchester@rawlingsopticians.co.uk.
Medical Disclaimer
This article is for information purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your health care provider or seek other professional medical treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something that you have read on this blog, website or in any linked materials.
