Are Your Kids Eligible for Ortho-K?
Parents with a high degree of astigmatism may often find their children develop shortsightedness. The parents may wonder if the kids will need to go through a lifetime of eye care, where they have to get glasses, contact lenses and frequent visits to an optician. However, these days, there are some additional options when it comes to treating shortsightedness in younger people and there's a new procedure known as orthokeratology to consider in some cases. What is this, and how could your children benefit from the procedure?
Working with Night Lenses
Some children would rather not wear glasses or contact lenses. Occasionally, they may find these corrections difficult when they want to participate in contact sports as there's a danger that glasses or contact lenses could be damaged. In these cases, they may be able to wear special Orth-K lenses instead, but the big difference is that they only wear those lenses at night when the lenses can help to reshape the cornea during sleep.
How the System Works
Remember, with myopia, the eye's shape is slightly elongated, making it harder to focus. Essentially, the object they are looking at is focused slightly in front of the retina rather than on top.
Ortho-K in Action
The Ortho-K lenses help correct myopia by gently flattening the front of the cornea and reducing the eye's curvature. This will focus the image back onto the retina and help to restore clear vision. The procedure can also help with peripheral vision, which is an additional advantage compared to spectacles alone.
Understanding the Limitations
Bear in mind that this procedure can only produce temporary results and that the eyesight will return to its original state if the patient does not wear the special lenses each night. It's nevertheless a great option for those who would rather get through the day without any eyesight correction and may find it difficult to wear lenses during the day due to allergies.
Working with Your Optician
You need to work with your optician to see if your child is eligible for these nighttime lenses. You may also have to change the prescription of the lenses periodically if the optician determines this to be the best approach.
Chatting over the Options
So, discuss the options with your children and see if they want to consider orthokeratology. The procedure works best within certain prescriptions and can help children or teenagers who may have progressive myopia.
For more information about Ortho-K, contact a local company.