Forgive me if this has been discussed recently, but on the off chance some one
may find this interesting...

I'm nearsighted, myopic, if you prefer.  I got my first pair of glasses at age
9.  Three years ago, my right eye tested at 20/900, my left at 20/800.  In
order to read the big E at the top of the chart, I had to be no farther than
53 inches for my left eye, 33 inches or less for the right.

At that time I started a program recommended to me by a coworker.  Her optom-
etrist specialized in orthokeratology, or ortho-k for short.  Ortho-k uses a
series of gas permeable, semi-rigid contact lenses to do to the cornea what
braces do to teeth in orthodontics.  Over the course of time, the cornea is
reshaped to correct the focal length within the eye.  At the end of the process
"retainer" lenses must be worn for some part of the day, or worn while sleep-
ing.

Two weeks ago, my right eye clocked in at 20/80, my left at 20/60.  I can read
the alarm clock from across the room ( but not sharply ) without aid, whereas
before I couldn't read it if it was farther than a hand's breadth away.  I'm
hoping the next set of lenses will get me even closer to 20/20 uncorrected.

Some caveats:  This is a fairly expensive program, on the order of magnitude
of orthodontics.  Some people ( my wife among them ) are not able to wear
the necessary gas permeable lenses.  It takes time, is not an overnight thing,
especially for severe cases of myopia.  Anything more severe than 20/400 is
less likely to be correctable to 20/20.  Some, but not all, astygmatisms can be
treated.  I'm told there may some practitioners who are only in it for a buck,
and may not be as careful as they could be in prescribing lenses.  ( This last
told to me by my optometrist, who did not name names.  Cum grano salis. )

On the other hand, it is not invasive surgery.  Anything better than 20/400
probably can be corrected to 20/20 unaided.  To me, it's been worth it.

I am not advocating this as a cure-all for everyone.  This is only my exper-
ience, presented as an option to consider.  For more information, ask *your*
optometrist.

                         -jp
                          #include< stdisclaimer.h >

I would think that the cornea would quickly revert toward its original
shape if you missed even a day or two.  Given that this must happen every
so often, however rare, what are the consequences?  Does one have to return
to the opto for the whole, expensive series again?

AT&T Paradyne, LG-132           Phone: (813) 530-8605
8545 - 126th Avenue, North
Largo, FL, 34649-2826           She's old and she's creaky, but she holds!

[]

        "Over the course of time, the cornea is reshaped to correct the
        focal length within the eye.  At the end of the process
        "retainer" lenses must be worn for some part of the day, or
        worn while sleeping."

        "I would think that the cornea would quickly revert toward its
        original shape if you missed even a day or two.  Given that
        this must happen every so often, however rare, what are the
        consequences?  Does one have to return to the opto for the
        whole, expensive series again?"

My optometrist has these comments to add:

  -- The patient with whom he's experimenting (a reserve fighter pilot)
     wears the contacts one day a week, on the day he's not on call.

  -- The process of corneal reshaping is painful.

  -=- Andrew Klossner   (uunet!tektronix!frip.WV.TEK!andrew)    [UUCP]

Let me add, that it is felt that molding the cornea this way may lead
to permanent corneal warpage.  This is true for rigid lenses in
general, but the whole process is amplified by using purposely
"misfitted" lenses to flatten the cornea.  Corneal warpage may be
reversable, but there are reports of permanently poor vision from this
complication.  Some of this progressed on to look like keratoconus, a
degerative condition of the cornea, ultimately treated by corneal
transplantation surgery.  It may be that the warpage caused the
keratoconus, of that these were people with  susceptible corneas who
were due to get keratoconus anyway; no one knows.

--
David Robins, M.D.  (ophthalmologist / electronics engineer)
The Smith-Kettlewell Institute of Visual Science,  ***  net:  uunet!skivs!dr
2232 Webster St, San Francisco CA 94115            ***  707/427-4456 (voice)
The opinions expressed herein do not reflect the opinion of the Institute!