(02) 8-898-2020
(02) 8-898-2020
Published on: January 24, 2022
Clear vision without surgery? It’s possible with Ortho-K contact lenses.
Ortho-K contact lenses temporarily correct refractive errors that cause blurred vision. These refractive errors are more commonly known as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. It can also be used to treat presbyopia, an age-related eye condition that makes it hard for people to read small text in newspapers, menus and even mobile phones.
According to Dr. Jesse Caguioa, Ortho-K contact lenses are not your ordinary lenses. “These are specially designed contact lenses that serve as ‘braces’ or ‘retainers’ to reshape the cornea or the clear surface layer of your eye. Using this, you can have clear vision for at least 24 to 48 hours. All you need to do is to wear them for at least six (6) hours while sleeping and remove them upon waking up.”
Unlike other hard or RGP contact lenses, Ortho-K is painless but may be uncomfortable to wear at the start, while you are still adapting. It also reduces the risk for eye infections, allergies and dryness. He explains, “Ortho-K is FDA-approved and makes use of oxygen-permeable contact lenses. This means that there is ample oxygen supply to the cornea that allows the eye to ‘breathe’ better. They also do not contain water, so it is less likely to shelter bacteria-causing infections.”
Another advantage of wearing Ortho-K is that patients can discontinue wearing them and switch back to wearing their eyeglasses or contact lenses anytime. “It is ok to stop wearing Ortho-K contact lenses if they decide to do LASIK or if they are so tired and unable to wear them. They can stop and resume wearing them whenever they want.”
But who can wear Ortho-K contact lenses?
Ortho-K is usually recommended for patients who want to have clear vision but are not qualified for LASIK, those who have jobs that require good vision even without eyeglasses or the ordinary contact lenses, and those who are into sports like boxing, swimming and martial arts. Even children as young as 6 years old can also wear this. There are also patients who simply prefer a non-surgical option to correct their vision.
“Children are more prone to develop nearsightedness. As they grow older, their nearsightedness is also likely to increase every year. Their eye grade will only stabilize when they reach 18 years old. Ortho-K has been shown to significantly reduce the progression of nearsightedness, and this helps them prevent developing eye problems caused by high nearsightedness like glaucoma and retinal detachment,” says Dr. Caguioa.
Aside from age, Ortho-K works best in people who have mild to moderate eye grade. He shares, “It can usually correct up to eye grade of 600, but there are exemptions. A screening is important so we can check other factors like the shape of the cornea and amount of correction needed, the overall health of your eye, and even your lifestyle.”
However, Ortho-K may not be recommened to those with chronic infection on the cornea, eyelids or the sclera (the white part of the eye).
Because these contact lenses are custom-made, it is important that the lenses fit your eyes well. He says, “Poorly fitted contact lenses will not only make the treatment ineffective, but it can also cause discomfort, infections or vision loss.”
Dr. Caguioa is Asian Eye Institute’s Chief Optometrist and Contact Lens Specialist. A Harvard-trained specialist, he is one of the few licensed optometrists in the Philippines who can fit and/or prescribe Ortho-K contact lenses.
Interested in Ortho-K contact lenses? Book your screening today! Call us at 8-898-2020 or 0918-898-2020, email us at [email protected], or message us at our social media accounts.
We deliver to all our patients the highest quality eye care on a par with the best in the world. We make high-quality eye care available and accessible to the Filipinos. We advance the science and practice of ophthalmology and optometry in Asia and the Pacific Rim.
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