ALTERNATIVE TO LASIK SURGERY

Wouldn't it be great if your nearsightedness could be corrected while you sleep? It might sound far-fetched, but it's a reality for some people. It's called orthokeratology, or ortho-k, and it is available throughout the country.

Here's how it works: When you sleep, you wear special contact lenses that gently reshape the surface of your eye, so you can see clearly even after you remove the lenses. The effect is temporary — generally enough to get you through a day or so, but you must wear the special lenses each night.

HOW DOES IT WORKS

Myopia is caused by light coming into the eye in such a way that it doesn't focus properly on the retina.This problem is corrected by using eyeglasses or regular contact lenses to re-focus the light rays.
A similar result can be achieved by reshaping your cornea. LASIK is a surgical way to do this. Ortho-k contact lenses flatten your cornea without surgery, enabling light to focus properly on your retina, resulting in better vision

Is Ortho-k Comfortable?

Some people have comfort issues with daytime wear of GP contact lenses (also known as RGP or "oxygen permeable" lenses), which are used for ortho-k. With GPs, a sensation of lens awareness can result from interaction of the eyelid with the edge of the lens during blinking. (This doesn't happen with soft lenses because they are larger and remain tucked under the eyelids.) But since ortho-k lenses are worn during sleep, blinking and lens awareness are generally not a problem.

WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE ORTHO K LENSE INSTEAD OF LASIK

Ortho-k works best for people who don't want to wear glasses or contact lenses all day, every day — but don't mind wearing contact lenses at night, or occasionally during the day.
If your primary goal is to be glasses- and contacts-free during the day, then ortho-k might be a good alternative for you. However, if you want to eliminate the bother of contacts altogether, then ortho-k is not likely to satisfy you.
Ortho-k may be a good option if you suffer from dry eyes. It's been found that this condition is sometimes worsened by LASIK.
-The procedure is REVERSIBLE (Excimer is not!).
-It does not involve post-operative pain.
-It does not leave the hazy vision often experienced by patients following laser surgery.
-There is no loss of Bowman's membrane (the tough protective layer just under the Corneal surface).
-Both eyes are done together (rather than several weeks or months apart).
-Changes in prescription over time can be dealt with (unlike Excimer).
-OrthoK is significantly cheaper.

Can it also controls Myopic Progression?

In 2006 and 2007 papers presented at the British Contact Lens Association and the Global Ortho Keratology Symposium indicated the possiblility of orthokeratology slowing or stopping myopic progression. This was found to be effective in children in Hong Kong and is the subject of wider study to verify this data
Unlike LASIK, ortho-k is reversible. If you try reshaping lenses and later decide you want laser eye surgery instead, you can do that. But for a period of time before surgery (possibly several months), your surgeon would have you stop wearing your lenses so your corneas can revert to their natural shape.