Understanding Orthokeratology

An ever growing number of men and women are seeking ways in which they can correct their vision.  As a result, contact lenses and glasses are used broadly by millions of people in the world today.  Moreover, many people are turning to alternative ways of correcting their vision, including LASIK surgery and a fairly new (and controversial) procedure known as orthokeratology. 

If you have never heard of orthokeratology, you are not alone.  With that understood, this article has been prepared to provide you with some basic information about orthokeratology.

The Basic Premise of Orthokeratology

The basic premise underlying orthokeratology is that certain contact lens like devices can be placed onto a person’s eyes to reshape the cornea.  By reshaping the cornea, as the theory goes, a person’s vision will improve.

Orthokeratology is designed to resolve problems associated with both near sightedness and astigmatism.

Orthokeratology is also known as ortho-K.

How the Procedure Works

Orthokeratology is a non-surgical procedure.  The patient involved in orthokeratology wears a series of oxygen permeable lenses that progressively mold the surface of the cornea into a shape that should allow for better vision. 

The lenses involved in the orthokeratology are changed every two to eight weeks to gradually change the contour of the front part of the cornea to improve a person’s vision. 

Generally speaking, in orthokeratology the contact lenses that are used to reshape the eyes are worn at night.  The same holds true for the retainers that are worn by a patient after the initial phase of the orthokeratology treatment process is completed.

After the Basic Procedure is Completed

Once the initial phase of the orthokeratology procedure is completed, once the eyeballs have been adjusted or reshaped, a patient then needs to wear what are known as retainer contact lenses.  On some level, the corrective procedure that is undertaken in orthokeratology is not all that different from what occurs when an orthodontist puts braces on a person’s teeth. 

A person wears braces on a his or her teeth for a period of time.  Once that period of time passes, a person normally will wear retainers on his or her teeth for an extended period of time.  In the case of orthokeratology, the same procedure is followed.

The Controversy Surrounding Orthokeratology

At the present time, orthokeratology is considered a controversial practice.  In the best case scenario, if there are any true beneficial effects to the orthokeratology process (and there is debate about that at the present time) any such benefit is not permanent.  Indeed, in many instances, the benefits said to be derived from orthokeratology are not particularly long lasting at all.

If you are interested in considering orthokeratology, it vitally is important for you to consult with a reliable and reputable eye care professional to get his or her honest and frank opinion about orthokeratology and its effectiveness.  You need to be very careful not to fall into the hands of someone who really does not know what he or she is doing when it comes to a purported orthokeratology treatment.

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