Contact Lenses
& Ortho K
CONTACT LENSES
Contact lenses are a great option for most spectacle wearers. They can be used for sports where spectacles are not always the most practical option or just as an alternative to spectacles when out socially.
Most people wear soft disposable lenses due to their ease of use and good safety profile. They can be daily, two weekly or monthly disposable depending on your needs. Modern soft lenses are very comfortable and can easily correct astigmatism and even near vision problems as well for our patients over fifty.
We make sure all our contact lens solutions and dry eye products are priced below recommended retail price. We do this to ensure our patients use the solutions that suit them best as prescribed by the Optometrist.
More complex eye conditions such as high powers, Keratoconus, post injury or post corneal grafts may need hard RGP lenses instead. Vivian Optometrists has a long history in complex hard lens fitting and is happy to tackle out of the ordinary cases. This has been made more efficient since we acquired the Medmont corneal mapping Topographer which allows us to analyse corneal shapes more accurately and computer model lenses on a virtual eye. This has also led us to the exciting option of Ortho-K for our patients.
Ortho-K
Vision Correction while you sleep
What is Ortho-K and how does it work?
Orthokeratology (Ortho-K for short) is a new procedure avalable here in Vivian Optometrist that uses contact lenses to improve your vision as you sleep.
Ortho-K painlessly reshapes the surface layers of the cornea using hard contact lenses while you sleep. Upon waking, the lenses are removed and your newly reshaped cornea provides great vision without the need for daytime contact lenses or glasses.
Who would benefit from Ortho-K?
Any short sighted (myopic) person that wishes to see clearly without the use of spectacles or contact lenses during the day!
Myopic patients that enjoy sporting activities, especially swimming and contact sports like rugby would benefit greatly. Also, those that work regularly in dusty, dirty or dry environments are good candidates.
It has been shown that one of the advantages of Ortho-K can be the slowing down of myopic progression. This therapy therefore particularly suits younger short sighted patients from the pre-teens onwards, who are at Ask of further myopic deterioration. For those that are too young for laser correction (under 21 years old), this is also a great option.
Who would benefit from Ortho-K?
Any short sighted (myopic) person that wishes to see clearly without the use of spectacles or contact lenses during the day!
Myopic patients that enjoy sporting activities, especially swimming and contact sports like rugby would benefit greatly. Also, those that work regularly in dusty, dirty or dry environments are good candidates.
It has been shown that one of the advantages of Ortho-K can be the slowing down of myopic progression. This therapy therefore particularly suits younger short sighted patients from the pre-teens onwards, who are at Ask of further myopic deterioration. For those that are too young for laser correction (under 21 years old), this is also a great option.
What does the treatment involve?
Our optometrists will firstly carry out a full eye examination and take precise measurements of the shape of your corneas using special computerised mapping instrumentation (corneal topography).
Assuming your eyes are suitable, you will undertake a trial wearing Ortho-K contact lenses. At your aftercare visits, your eyes will be assessed and any lens adjustments made.
What if I have been unsuccessful with contact lenses before?
There is a good chance that you will still be able to succeed with Ortho-K. Past dryness or discomfort problems are usually not an issue with Ortho-K because the lenses are only worn while you sleep.
How safe is Ortho-K?
The safety of Ortho-K has been demonstrated to be as safe as normal soft contact lenses that are slept in.
What if Ortho-K doesn’t work for me?
If, for some reason this treatment doesn’t suit you, simply stop wearing the lenses. Unlike surgical options for vision correction, Ortho-K therapy is completely reversible.