Orthokeratology, promoted by EurOK (European Academy of Orthokeratology), is a non-surgical technique which makes it possible to correct a defect of sight through the programmed application of contact lenses.
This technique consists in the application of rigid gas permeable lenses (RGP) with a particular conformation, called inverse geometry, to modify the shape of the cornea for optical purposes. Night orthokeratology lenses are made with extremely oxygen permeable materials and are put only while sleeping: in this way they produce a temporary reduction of the visual defect by changing the shape of the surface of the cornea, which has a certain degree of plasticity. When the lens is on the eye it is clearly seen as with a conventional lens; when the lens is removed in the morning, the cornea retains its modified shape and continues to look good to the naked eye all day, without glasses and without contact lenses. After an initial period of adaptation, clear vision with the naked eye lasts until evening. Replacing the lenses every night maintains a stable effect over time. This treatment is completely reversible: if you want to stop using these lenses, a short period of suspension is sufficient for the cornea to return to its original shape.
Why Orthokeratology is worth doing?
The main objective is to free the ametrope from the use of glasses, but given the treatment of the subject by researchers and ophthalmologists it has also come to the conclusion that, even for children and young people of developing age, using glasses or traditional contact lenses, the deterioration is three times higher than for Orthokeratological use.
By choosing to undergo this treatment, it is necessary to perform some preliminary tests, check the state of health of the eye and then a map of the cornea, using an instrument called Corneal Topographer.Once the specific data has been obtained, the problems and the visual defect assessed, the next operation performed by the Optometrist technician is the evaluation and technical processing of the possible feasibility of the contact lens application.Once all the necessary evaluations have been completed and after the first application for exploratory purposes, the technicians will give the correct answer on the feasibility of the application.