No glasses or contact lenses - Spell it orthokeratology
STITTSVILLE (John Curry, Stittsville News) – Corrective laser eye surgery is not the only way to abandon the wearing of eye glasses. There is now a new treatment called orthokeratology which allows a person to get rid of glasses or contact lenses during the day.
Dr. Corrine Motluk of Stittsville Optometry on Stittsville Main Street offers this new treatment. Essentially the person wears hard contact lenses while asleep at night. These gently reshape the cornea and so during the day the person does not need any corrective eyewear.
This new orthokeratology treatment is only effective if the hard contact lenses are worn each night. The bonus in this is that the procedure is completely reversible. If the person stops wearing the hard contact lenses at night, vision will return to its previous state in as little as 72 hours.
This orthokeratology treatment is not for everyone. There are ranges for nearsightedness and astigmatism which are needed for the treatment to be most beneficial.
This is an alternative for some to lao ser eye surgery which is a permanent treatment and also is more expensive.
In addition, a person has to be 19 years of age or older for laser eye surgery. However, children aged 10 and up can usually be eligible for the treatment since they can insertacontact lens and follow lens care directions.
Orthokeratology is viewed as an alternative in some cases not only to laser eye surgery but also to wearing eye glasses and conventional contacts.
Eye care professionals like Dr. Motluk must be knowledgeable about the treatment because there is skill and knowledge involved in fitting the contact lenses to the person.
"There is definitely expertise in fitting the contact lens on the person," says Dr. Motluk.
The greatest challenge right now for orthokeratology is to publicize Its availability. For most people, the possibility of this treatment as an option to laser eye surgery for some is a revelation, says Dr. Motluk.
Specifically, orthokeratology is a non-surgical process which softly reo shapes the central cornea by wearing specially designed permeable contact lenses overnight. These lens are removed when awake but must be worn every night to be effective. On the flip side, the effect of orthokeratology is temporary and is completely reversible, simply by not wearing the lenses
A thorough consultation and eye examination are needed to determine If orthokeratology is right for a particular individual and his or her eyes.
With orthokeratology, rapid visual improvement normally occurs in the first few days and weeks. Stablization then follows over the next few months.
If a person stops wearing the lenses at night, the eyes will return to their pre-existing condition after about two weeks.
More information about orthokeratology can be obtained by contacting Dr. Motluk at Stittsville Optometry at 1464 Stittsville Main Street at 613-836-2030 or by checking out the Stlttsville Optometry website at www.stittsvilleoptometry.com
