by Rey Juman
I have a prescription for distance and I’m unable to see clearly more than 5 feet in front of me without needing glasses. Unhappy with always needing to wear glasses, I spoke with my optician and he recommended a new treatment option. I know many people pursue LASIK eye surgery to remove their prescription, but I was worried of the potential irreversible damage that could occur after doing research online, hearing stories from my friends, and on the news. That’s when I first learned about Ortho-Keratology, a new treatment that would correct my prescription without having to have any surgery and with minimal risk on my eyes by using overnight contact lenses to reshape my eye. According to the optician, not only will I see without glasses, but my original prescription will be preserved and the myopia (nearsightedness) will no longer progress over time. That means that if I ever decide to stop wearing these lenses, within a few days, I will be right back in the same glasses that I was wearing before starting this treatment. It was also available with 12 month NO INTEREST financing… Sounds good to me!
I decided to start the treatment. The first step involves being scanned by my optician using a machine called a Corneal Topographer which took a 3D map of my eye. From this, he is able to determine if I am eligible for the Ortho-K treatment and if so, how to make the overnight lenses to properly correct my prescription.
After I was determined to be eligible, I provided my optician with my prescription and 5 days later I was presented with my brand-new Ortho-K lenses!
My optician then sat down with me and explained cleaning procedures, how to put them on and off, and how to maintain the lenses. The lenses can be used for 1 year, so it is very important to keep them clean to avoid eye infections. He told me to wear them that night, and to come in the morning for a follow up appointment.
The first night, I cleaned my lenses and put them on right before bed. They were a little tricky to get on and it took me a few attempts, but I was able to put both on without any assistance. In my eye, they felt slightly uncomfortable, but once I closed my eyes, I could hardly feel them and I quickly fell asleep.
In the morning, I followed my optician’s instructions on proper removal and I was surprised to find I was seeing much better than before. I went back the optical store for my next day follow up appointment and I was scanned using the Corneal Topographer once again to ensure that the lenses were working correctly and to see if any adjustments needed to be made. Once I received the all clear, I was told to wear them every night for the next 10 days and then I would need to come in for another follow-up appointment then.
[Update Apr 15 2019]:After 3 days, I am seeing 20/20! The lenses are now very easy to put on and I have no difficulty falling asleep. I will continue to wear them until the 10 day period is up and see my results.
[Update Apr 26 2019]:It’s been 2 weeks and I love my lenses. I now only have to wear them once or twice a week whenever I feel like the prescription is starting to return. It was a very hassle free experience and I would recommend it to anyone who qualifies.
Talk to your optician and find out if you are a good candidate for Ortho-K.
As for me, I’m glasses free!