Vision is one of the most important processes of processing information received by a person from outside. Its severity determines how high-quality the perception, analysis, and conclusions about visible objects and the situation around the person as a whole will be.
Unfortunately, not all people can boast of perfect vision: many suffer from eye diseases such as hyperopia or nearsightedness. To correct these shortcomings, many methods of correction were invented: glasses, day lenses, eye surgery. However, not all of these methods may be comfortable for the patient. That is why in recent years, the use of such a tool as night lenses to restore vision has become quite common.
Night lenses - what is it?
In their appearance, they are similar to ordinary daytime ones - these are exactly the same transparent or slightly bluish rounded “plates”. However, they have a more rigid base and are used exclusively during sleep. Night correction lenses are breathable, so the appearance of dryness and burning in the eyes is almost completely excluded. In addition, the patient uses them due to the particular conditions of use for closed eyelids and for less time than daytime lenses. And the latter, as you know, even with the highest quality characteristics and all the inherent softness often cause pain and discomfort.
The official name of the vision correction method in which night lenses are used is orthokeratology, therefore they are also called orthokeratological, or, in short, OK lenses.
Operating principle
During sleep, night lenses actively affect the
cornea of the eye by pressure, thereby forming it and redistributing the load. The upper layers of the epithelium are leveled, but the patient does not feel anything. At first, some dryness in the eyes is possible, however, it is eliminated by instilling drops that soften the lens and allow it to spread as much as possible over the surface. After sleep, the OK lenses are removed. The result of the application is an increased quality of vision, as close as possible to unity. It persists for at least 24 hours.
Validity
Each period of validity of OK lenses is purely individual and depends on the severity of myopia, as well as other third-party effects that may affect the result. However, 1-3 days is a stable period of time during which corrective night lenses can provide vision equal to unity.
To maintain diopters at the proper level, OK lenses do not need to be worn every night. The whole cycle consists of 1 day - sleep with lenses, and the next few days - sleep without lenses until vision impairment begins. The required period of use is determined by the doctor.
Features
You can see that the principle of this drug is similar to laser correction - the cornea is flattened in the same way as with surgery. However, night lenses to improve vision have one feature - the effect of their exposure is reversible. That is, after a certain time, the cornea returns to its original position and myopia returns again.
By the way, that is why night lenses for children are considered the best way to correct vision, since the eye is still in the formative stage, and laser surgery is possible only from the age of 18. In addition, it will be more convenient for parents to control the wearing process, built in this way.
Application cases
Although night lenses are the best way to correct myopia (myopia), however, when choosing them, it is worth remembering that with a high degree of disease, they can be powerless. The standard correction range is from -1 to -7 diopters.
According to multiple studies, the greatest efficiency can be achieved using night lenses with myopia of not more than -5 diopters. In this case, restoration of vision to unity is guaranteed. If the patient has eyesight lower than -5 diopters, then the functioning of the eye can be rehabilitated up to 70-75%.
It is worth noting that the effect is noticeable after the first use of night lenses. The reviews of patients and attending physicians also confirm other information: after regular use, within 1 week, almost 100% of the vision returns to the observed.
In some cases, by the end of the day, a slight decline in severity is observed, however, this is due to excessive eye strain resulting from long work on the computer, insufficient lighting, writing or reading.
Benefits of Night Lenses
Lenses for night vision correction have many positive aspects:
- the process is carried out directly during sleep, so the eyes not only do not get tired from wearing lenses, but, on the contrary, rest;
- there is no need to think about whether they suit you or not - night lenses for restoring vision are completely invisible, especially when eyelids are lowered;
- they cannot be broken or broken like glasses;
- night contact lenses do not require surgical intervention;
- ideal for those who lead an active lifestyle, play sports;
- Night lenses are equally good for children and adults: with the progression of myopia that has begun, there is every chance to stop it at an early stage, and if it is already existing, to block its development;
- all night lenses have a long wearing period of at least one and a half years, which significantly saves money and eliminates the need to regularly go in search of suitable soft daylight;
- even if night lenses for restoring vision did not appeal to them, they can always be replaced with another usual way of correction;
- will be a great alternative for those who are contraindicated in laser surgery;
- do not cause allergic reactions, and in some cases they carry out the prevention of diseases such as conjunctivitis and keratitis;
- night lenses to improve vision due to the features of wearing relieve dust, particles of cosmetics and dirt from settling on their surface;
- when in a room with dry air or air conditioning, you do not have to use moisturizing drops.
Who should use OK lenses?
As already mentioned, night lenses for children are great. Reviews of adults who have already followed the recommendations of ophthalmologists indicate that the child’s complaints about dryness and discomfort in the eyes associated with wearing day lenses have disappeared. The need for wearing a spare pair and a moisturizing solution has disappeared. In addition, as you know, children do not like to wear glasses, so the use of night lenses saved them from ridicule from classmates and made it possible to feel more comfortable during physical education lessons.
Night lenses are also suitable for almost all adults whose profession or working conditions do not fit to wear ordinary day lenses or glasses: athletes, climbers, trainers, builders, lifeguards, workers.
How to choose night lenses?
The process of selecting night lenses is quite complicated, so only an ophthalmologist should deal with it. During the consultation, the doctor will not only determine the level of myopia, but also measure the degree of curvature of the cornea, its composition, and also reveal the presence of contraindications that impede the use of OK lenses.
When all the necessary parameters are clarified, the orthokeratologist will begin to select night lenses to restore vision. After the first application, vision will improve markedly, but not 100%. To achieve maximum effect, it will take about 7-10 days, or from 2 to 5 applications. After a certain period of time, you should again go to the ophthalmologist's appointment to undergo a routine examination, which will reveal a tendency to improve vision, as well as prescribe the necessary auxiliary medicines and procedures.
Side effects on first use
Disorders and some complications can occur both during the initial use of night lenses, and much later. Initially, side effects are manifested in the form of an inadequate pupil reaction to light sources, the presence of vague contours in objects and their easy bifurcation, dizziness and some loss of orientation in space. Most often, such disorders disappear after 1-2 days after the first use of OK lenses. If unpleasant sensations and distortion of vision become regular or intensify, you should immediately contact an optometrist.
Possible complications
More complex side effects are observed in patients who received eye injuries after the appointment of OK therapy, or who did not observe the simplest hygiene rules. These include:
- erosion;
- swelling;
- inflammation.
Some patients mistakenly believe that night lenses are to blame for everything. Reviews of doctors about this method of correcting myopia suggest the opposite: in most cases, the cause of an exacerbation of any eye disease during OK therapy is an untimely visit to the ophthalmologist and non-compliance with standard rules for wearing night lenses and visual hygiene.
Contraindications to wearing
Like normal daytime, night-time OK lenses have some contraindications to wearing. Namely, the presence of diseases of the following nature:
- chronic diseases of the anterior segment of the eye;
- recurrent inflammation of the eye;
- chronic inflammatory processes on the face.
In addition, an orthokeratologist is unlikely to prescribe night lenses for children or adults, if the patient does not have the ability to follow the rules for wearing and processing lenses, as well as attend preventive examinations.
Reviews about night lenses
Interviewees who regularly use night lenses for 2-6 months, first of all, unanimously report a higher comfort of use than during daytime. This is due to the fact that during the day there is no sensation of dryness in the eyes, there is no need to additionally moisturize the cornea with special means, there is no fear of damaging or losing the lens, since it simply is not there.
Patients who previously wore glasses noted that they began to feel more relaxed and free. The same is said by parents who purchased night lenses for children: reviews testify in favor of not only physical, but also psychological comfort.
Despite all the positive aspects, about 70% of respondents say that it took them about 5-7 days to completely get used to the new method of vision correction. At first, there was some blurry objects and a halo around light sources, but after 2-3 subsequent uses of the lenses, the discomfort disappeared.
The only negative, according to users, is a rather high cost with a one-time payment. The average cost of the lenses themselves, examination by a specialist and consumables in Russia costs an average of 16,000-18,000 rubles. However, if you compare this amount with the cost of buying soft contact lenses, solution and drops, then in general night lenses pay off in 1.5 years.
For their part, doctors recommend night lenses as the most suitable way to correct and prevent myopia in school-age children at the moment. But it’s worth remembering that until 11-12 years old, the parents of the child will need to regularly monitor the regularity of use and compliance with the rules of hygiene of OK lenses.
Today, night lenses are perhaps the only method of vision correction that can replace laser surgery. Although the effect is short-term, the use of orthokeratology is so far the only way to increase visual acuity for a while without the use of additional optical means.