In a normal eye, the image of what we see is formed on the retina at the back of the eye. The retina acts as a vision screen and relays the image to the brain.

Normal Eye	Myopic Eye

Myopia occurs when the eye is too long. In most cases it is caused by bad posture, i.e. a too small distance when writing, reading, drawing or working in front of a computer screen. The streching of the eye can be from the front curvature (cornea) or the back curvature (posterior pole). Images are not formed exactly on the retina, but in front of it.

The idea is to give the eye its original shape. To reduce myopia, there are now numerous surgical procedures that alter the front curvature by multiple incisions, by the use of excimer lasers, or more recently, by Lasik and Lasek.

Results are usually spectacular. However — as in any surgery — these operations affect healthy tissues and may leave important side-effects for the health of the eye. Moreover, the long-term effects are still badly known.

It should be noted that the majority of myopias are controlled more easily when they are detected from the very start. Thus the importance of frequent and regular examinations. When treated from the very start, they can be even reversed without glasses or contact lenses!!!

Orthokaratology, or Ortho-K, comes from the Greek words ortho (straight), kerato (cornea) and logy (science): it is the science of correcting the cornea.

Orthokeratology is a safe, non-surgical contact lens procedure to eliminate mild or medium myopias and to reduce considerably severe myopias.

In the first days of Ortho-K, you had to apply on the eye a series of 3 to 6 lenses to gradually reduce the curvature of the cornea. The whole process would take from 2 to 5 months and allowed an improvement of up to 2 to 3 diopters, but the effects only lasted a few hours.

Amazing progress has been made possible due to intensive research and new technologies. What is now available is a revolutionary new lens that is worn only at night.

Different procedures have used spherical lenses, reverse geometry lenses, CRT lenses. The most recent procedure is called OOK (Optimal Orthokeratology) and uses the notorious BE retainer lens.

Optimal Orthokeratology is totally different from traditional orthokeratology or Accelerated Orthokeratology. The methods of modifying the cornea and improving vision are based on the controlling of tiny tear film forces. Optimal Orthokeratology is the only system to describe and control these forces. Is is unique in its calculation, design, fitting and response.

The effects of the new lens, worn only at night, are quicker, better and last longer. The lens is also more confortable — the adaptation is immediate since the lens is only worn during sleep and practically does not move. A 70% reduction in myopia is reached after the first night. Once the results achieved, the same lens is used as a retainer.

Where traditional orthokeratology improved vision by 2 to 3 diopters, OOK obtains inprovements of up to 4 to 6 diopters, depending on the eye's characteristics.

Recover your vision without any glasses or contacts. Don't worry about losing or scratching your lenses because they are protected by your closed eyelids. It is great to get up at night or in the morning and see, to go swimming and skiing freely. What's more, if you want to stop the treatment, the procedure is totally reversible.

The long term effects and reversible nature of OOK can be compared to a ring that is worn on your finger. The skin underneath the ring is moulded -- and the longer the ring has been worn, the longer the skin takes to revert to its shape. OOK works on the cornea in the same way. The Ortho-K lens never really touches the cornea.

The forces applied to the epithelium (the cornea's "skin") are extremely minute -- calulated in microns or thousandths of a millimeter. In fact, it has been shown that epithelium cells are not damaged or destroyed, but rather redistributed to the side underneath the lens. When the lens is removed the cells gradually revert to their orginal positions. Moreover, the contact lenses are made of materials designed for high oxygen transmission. After the first month of wearing the lens at night, the cornea will keep longer its moulded shape, thus reducing the frequency at which the retainer lens needs to be worn.

Most myopias can be controlled easier when then are detected in the beginning. Thus the importance of frequent and regular examinations. Treated from the beginning, they can be reversed without glasses or contact lenses!

Laser (PRK) or LASIK surgery achieves the refractive results in a similar fashion to OOK, but burns the cells of the cornea away to achieve the correct shape. This procedure is irreversible.

Patients who have undergone surgery are not admissible to OOK treatments.

OOK on the other hand also changes the shape of the cornea but rather than burning cells away permanently, we shift the cells temporarily. This shifting of the cells and improvement in vision lasts only as long as the patient continues the wearing schedule of the lenses. Although, OOK is temporary, its distinct advantage is that its effects are reversible, where surgery is not.

Another benefit of OOK is that its effects can be adjusted or modified. When a patient reaches their 40’s, with the advent of presbyopia, OOK can be adjusted on one or both of the eyes to provide good distance vision but at the same time, improve a patients’ ability to focus on nearby objects as well (called monovision).

To be admissible for an OOK treatment, the patient must undergo:

• a complete eye examination covering all the aspects of the patient's vision
• a precise corneal examination with the help of a topographer.

A topographer is an precise camera-like instrument that provides a contour (or shape) map of your cornea. It will calculate precisely the data necessary to manufacture the lens specifically for your eye.

Note that only a certified Optimal Orthokeratologist may utilize the OOK procedure. Only him can determine if you are a good candidate for OOK therapy.

At Pierre Bannon's office, Orthokeratology in all its aspects has been dispensed since 1998, as well as OOK which we introduced in Quebec in 2002. You can trust our expertise based on our solid experience.

Keep in mind that good hygiene while handling lenses, careful following of lens care instructions, and regular appointments play an important role in the success of the procedure.