Orthokeratology contact and lenses also named as Ortho-k lenses, Overnight Vision lenses or Corneal Therapy lenses are the type of lenses that are used to reduce the hazard of corneal complications such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. Repairing corneal-related issues started as early as the 1940s when experts produced spectacle lenses that facilitate forming the cornea. In 1960, the concept orthofocus was prominent. Orthofocus was the very first innovation of Orthokeratology contact and lenses that are made of hard polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) material. From the earlier PMMA, contacts are recently modernized to super rigid gas permeable (RGP) material.
A number of Orthokeratologists contributed to the more enhanced Orthokeratology contact lenses. From hard polymethyl methacrylate material, these corrective lenses have become revised to gas permeable material. The advanced Great Molding machine is employed to produce firm thin plastic to form a multi-curved and oxygen permeable lenses. The method for corneal vision treatment requires more oxygen, hence brilliant specialists develop an oxygen permeability lenses. While most conventional lenses are worn during waking hours, these types of contacts are well designed to be worn during sleep and taken off during waking. Dislocated epithelial cells in the cornea will then be compacted and shaped during sleep resulting to an improved vision upon waking up.
Orthokeratologists greatly trust the ability of Orthokeratology contact lenses to remedy corneal-related eyesight problems such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Astigmatism is seen as a distorted vision with both close and distant objects. Nearsightedness or myopia is termed as failure of viewing objects in farther distance. The opposite of myopia is hyperopia or better known as farsightedness, it’s characterized as the ability of viewing even farther things but inability of seeing closer ones. These corneal problems are due to a steep-shaped cornea or elongated eyes attributable to excessive or dislocated epithelial cells. Corneal problems could possibly be caused by abusive usage of the eye or visual stress. Other factor of it could be hereditary. Infants, children and adult could experience these problems. Around -6 diopters of myopia and 1.75 diopters of astigmatism could be repaired by these lenses. There are many methods applied to diagnose this vision problem but the recent one is called corneal topographer. With this instrument, Orthokeratologist could identify the degree of the condition based on the color coded map produced by the machine. Prescription includes the type of lenses to be worn, wear schedule and span of cure. Treatment using Orthokeratology contact lenses won’t last for a year.
With the gradual improvements of Orthokeratology contacts, it is more likely that regular surgical and glass-wearing procedure of treating corneal-related problems will be phased out. The technology of these contact lenses are more the advantageous treating not just eyesight issues but provides ease of use specifically to athletes, pilots, military personnel, firemen and a lot more.
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