By Steve Roberts 

Ortho-k opticians  are still something of an unknown quantity to the average short-sighted consumer who tends to know only about glasses, conventional daytime contact lenses and laser surgery when considering alternative ways of correcting their eyesight. Yet overnight ortho-k (the short name for orthokeratology and also known as overnight vision correction) is a new treatment which offers all the benefits of laser surgery but without any surgery. The treatment involves wearing small specially designed contact lenses only while sleeping then enjoying perfect daytime vision after the lenses are removed each morning. As such, increasing numbers of opticians are now showing interest in being able to offer overnight ortho-k which is expected to generate strong interest from short-sighted individuals of all ages whether young children or mature adults.

The small bespoke lenses gently reshape the surface of the eye during sleep thus correcting the elongation of the eye which means that light focuses directly on the retina rather than in front of it. The effect lasts for at least a full day so by reinserting the lenses every night, the wearer maintains perfect vision consistently. Many short-sighted people wish they could throw away their glasses or stop wearing daytime contact lenses which often cause problems such as dry eye but are reluctant to choose laser surgery as the alternative given concerns over possible risks or the high cost of the treatment. So the arrival of a new treatment provided by ortho-k opticians  represents a real breakthrough.

The benefits of ortho-k mean that people can live a 24/7 life without worrying about participating in sports - especially contact sports like rugby or water sports like swimming - and no longer need to think about how their daytime contact lenses start to feel dry and itchy at the end of the day. Even more important are the benefits for children with latest research showing that wearing ortho-k lenses can stop shortsight worsening so that children who are fitted at an early age do not enter adulthood with a high prescription. Shelly Bansal, President of the British Contact Lens Association is one of the UK's leading ortho-k opticians  and says: "Over the years there have been various products which have claimed to halt myopia progression in children and now for the first time there is real evidence to support overnight vision correction as an effective treatment for short-sighted children."

Check if you or your child is suitable for overnight ortho-k corrective contact lenses .