Reference: Alpha Corporation
Official Website
1. About Orthokeratology in General
1.1 Who are these lenses suitable for?
These lenses are suitable for all sports enthusiasts, including those who practice underwater sports such as swimming, surfing, and diving, as well as rugby, soccer, and martial arts that involve intense movements. They are also suitable for people who find it inconvenient to wear glasses or contact lenses due to their occupation, for contact lens wearers who are concerned about dryness, and for other people who feel they would benefit from spending their daytime without corrective eyewear.
1.2 Do they work quickly? And do they work for everyone?
The results vary from person to person, but in some cases, the results can be seen after putting in the lenses for the first time. Initially, your vision may be a little worse in the evening, but with repeated daily wear, your visual acuity should stabilize within a week or two. The way in which the results appear will vary according to the individual.
1.3 How do these lenses differ from LASIK and other forms of refractive surgery?
Both refractive surgery and orthokeratology are myopia correction methods that allow you to go without corrective eyewear during the day. Refractive surgery methods, such as LASIK, cannot be reversed once they have been carried out. On the other hand, orthokeratology is restorative, which means that your eyes will return to their original state if you stop wearing the lenses. Age-related changes in visual acuity can also be accommodated by changing the corrective power.
1.4 Do orthokeratology lenses only work for myopia (nearsightedness)?
For now, their effectiveness has only been verified for myopia. However, we are performing extensive research and development on new lens designs for astigmatism and farsightedness.
2. The Use of Orthokeratology Lenses
2.1 Can everyone use orthokeratology lenses?
Orthokeratology lenses are not suitable for everyone. Before you begin using them, an eye care practitioner will examine the health of your eyes, the degree of your myopia, the shape of your corneas, and other eye conditions to determine whether or not you can use them.
2.2 Will wearing the lenses be painful?
Orthokeratology lenses are not painful, but until you get used to them, you may feel discomfort or the sense of having something in your eyes immediately after putting them in. In most cases, once you get used to them, you won’t be bothered by them. If you do experience pain, it might be due to dust or dirt on the lens.
2.3 What should I do if I can't get a lens out in the morning?
After you wake up, make sure that the lens is moving enough before you attempt to take it out. If your eye doesn’t have enough tears and the lens does not move, we recommend applying artificial tears or other eye drops to make sure the lens moves before removing it. If you cannot remove the lens by yourself, do not try to remove it by force. Instead, seek the help of your eye care practitioner immediately.
2.4 Will the lens go behind the eye?
The structure of the eye is such that the conjunctiva has a saccate shape, so the lens cannot go behind the eye.
2.5 How long do I have to wear the lenses for?
In order to attain the appropriate myopia-correcting effect, it is necessary to wear the lenses for about six hours every day, although it varies from person to person.
2.6 Are there any complications that can occur from the use of the lenses?
Complications can occur if the lenses are not used properly or if the lenses and lens cases are not kept clean. Be sure to undergo periodic examinations, follow the instructions of your eye care practitioner, and use the lenses properly.
3. Orthokeratology Treatment
3.1 How long do I have to continue the orthokeratology treatment?
First, you need to undergo an examination to see if you are a suitable candidate for wearing orthokeratology lenses. If the test results show that you are a suitable candidate, you will need to undergo follow-up examinations the day after you start wearing the lenses, one week later, two weeks later, one month later, three months later, and at three-month intervals thereafter. Be sure to undergo follow-up examinations to ensure effective treatment as well as safe and comfortable lens usage.
3.2 What happens to my myopia if I stop treatment halfway through?
Depending on the length of time you’ve been using the lenses and the condition of your eyes, your corneas will return to their pre-treatment state in approximately one month. (This means that your eyes will revert to their previous myopia.)
3.3 I'm thinking of having corneal refractive surgery in the future. Will wearing orthokeratology lenses affect that?
Orthokeratology lenses correct myopia by flattening the corneas. The corneas return to their original state around one month after you stop wearing the lenses. Please consult with an eye care practitioner to determine whether or not you can undergo corneal refractive surgery.