By Steve Roberts 

Ortho-k optician  Geoff Wilson is celebrating a unique anniversary having opened one of the very first specialist contact lens practices in the UK back in 1973 when he started The Contact Lens Practice in Birmingham. At a time when contact lens fitting was still in its infancy, Geoff's decision to focus on this treatment as a primary means for treating vision defects was an innovative but high risk way of testing consumer appetite to switch from the standard solution of glasses. However, by a continuing commitment over the past 40 years to invest in the latest diagnostic technology, he has been able to demonstrate to different generations of patients that his model of patient care is truly comprehensive.

Naturally, after pioneering contact lens fitting as a primary treatment option, Geoff has become a leading expert on the huge range of lens options that are available in the market today and believes that a contact lens solution can be found for the vast majority of patients to visits his practice with a sight defect even after they have been turned away by other opticians. Indeed, this is one of the reasons he can boast of treating patients from the length and breadth of the UK who have read about his practice on the internet. Given his commitment to innovation, it is no surprise that Geoff is now one of the leading UK practitioners of orthokeratology (or ‘ortho-k' as its is usually abbreviated) and as an ortho-k optician  he is able to regularly demonstrate the benefits of this unique new treatment for short-sightedness.

Orthokeratology involves the custom design of small contact lenses which are only worn while sleeping. The lenses gently flatten the surface of the cornea during sleep using the mild pressure of closed eyelids and this flattening effect lasts for over 24 hours. Consequently, after the lenses are removed each morning, light entering the eye focuses directly on the retina rather than in front of it so ensuring distant objects can be seen clearly rather than appear blurred. Thus an ortho-k optician  like Geoff can offer his patients all the benefits of laser surgery - but without the surgery. And for children, there is another hugely important benefit - ortho-k lenses stop a child's short-sightedness from getting worse. So as Geoff's practice moves into its fifth decade, he continues to cement his reputation as a contact lens innovator.

Check if you are suitable for overnight ortho-k corrective contact lenses .