Posts Tagged ‘orthokeratology’

Orthokeratology goes by many names…. Ortho-k, corneal refractive therapy, Gentle Vision Shaping, corneal molding, and others. At Bright Eyes Family Vision Care, we tend to call it corneal reshaping or Orthokeratology. But regardless of whatever terms we choose to call it, our patients call it “awesome!”

Watch for yourself:

(Click here to watch on Youtube).

This last weekend I was fortunate enough to  attend and speak at  the Orthokeratology Academy of America (OAA) educational conference. The OAA is an international organization of orthokeratologists who provide a nonsurgical alternative to refractive surgery for nearsightedness, astigmatism and hyperopia. Current research also shows that Ortho-K can slow myopic progression in children.

The international faculty of presenters covered topics including myopia control (including soft lens technology), corneal reshaping research, safety of corneal reshaping, progressive/hyperopic Ortho-K lens designs, new corneal reshaping techniques. I heard speakers from Australia, Japan, China, Italy, Spain, and from all over the US.

President Dr. Cary Herzberg had the pleasure of announcing the inception of the new International Academy of Orthokeratology(IAO). The IAO brings together ortho-K organizations from the America (OAA) as well and Europe and Asia. This international organization will support, promote and advance corneal reshaping worldwide thru quality education and research presentations at meetings held around the world.  For more information about the OAA click here.

At Bright Eyes, we have successfully treated patients from 7 to 59 years old with orthokeratology. This includes pilots, lawyers, retirees, and lots of kids like Christopher (above). If you would like more information about Orthokeratology, call our office in Westchase at 813-792-0637 or visit http://BrightEyesOrthoK.com

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

My colleagues and I think and talk about myopia (nearsightedness) every day. We talk about the drawbacks (and rewards) of being myopic. We talk about the causes and treatment options for myopia, both short and long term.

But I have never seen a day like today, with myopia in all the papers and on every major TV news program. Given how quickly news travels today, the total number of people thinking and re-thinking about their eyes and vision is probably higher today than it has ever been!

Yesterday morning, I received an email about a newly released study, “Increased Prevalence of Myopia in the United States Between 1971-1972 and 1999-2004.” While I take it as common knowledge that nearsightedness is increasing in much of the world, including the United States, even I was stunned to see this headline about the study: “Myopia Prevalence Rose 66% over 30-Year Period” There is no way around it, a 66% increase is a lot!

So I posted the link on Twitter and Facebook, but I didn’t really have the time to dedicate to the study until today. And then the really big news hit. There are stories on myopia on  NPR, Discover,  the LA Times, and video segments on Good Morning America and local affiliates such as these and these.

So since this is such a hot topic today, I’ll share what I tell patients almost every day at the office.  But first let me say this:  while vision science has advanced tremendously, and we have a better understanding than ever, there still is a lot that we do not know about the details of nearsightedness and its development. And, although this may shock you to read, there are some less-than-ethical people who will claim to have all the answers and will say with a straight face that they have THE ONLY WAY to either prevent or eliminate nearsightedness or glasses. The truth is that we don’t know exactly how this works and we can never make promises because what may work for 1000 people may not work for you.

But we can say some things about myopia more generally. There is a genetic component for sure, but just because you and your spouse are nearsighted is not a guarantee that your children will be . In fact, there may be more commonly a genetic susceptibility than an actual myopia “gene.” And clearly there are other factors involved because while the population is changing (due to aging and immigration) our US genes haven’t changed that much in 30 years, but our eyes have!

So, as many of the links above point out, our lifestyle can have an impact on vision. Our eyes are inherently best-suited for looking off into the distance. This is easy and natural. Yet today we spend an increasing amount of time and effort focusing within arms-length and in some cases just a few inches. And while we have always had (and will continue to have, I hope) kids and adults with their noses buried in bound books, the truth is that intensely playing tiny video games or texting does require more visual effort. And I can attest from seeing patients at Bright Eyes that children are engaged in these activities at younger and younger ages.

So – if a patient has increasing nearsightedness, or seems predisposed to be nearsighted what are the options? Here  are the refractive options from least to most aggressive.

• Do nothing. Some people prefer to not take any action because they do not have need to see better at a distance and they prefer the vision up close. This is totally reasonable, as long as it is an educated choice and not just by default or neglect. However, this is not itself a treatment for myopia and in fact may promote myopia in the long run.
• Traditional glasses or contacts. This will help a patient see clearly in the distance which is necessary for things like driving or going to school which are important. But it will not address any underlying problems leading to increasing myopia.
• Bifocal Glasses. This method was more popular in prior decades to slow down myopia progression. The scientific studies have not shown it to be as helpful generally, but may be for a  subset of people with specific visual problems.
• Multifocal soft contact. There is small but growing evidence that multifical contacts, like Proclear EP, can provide clear distance vision and limit the progression of nearsightedness.
• Orthokeratology (Corneal Reshaping). There is several scientific studies that have shown that this can provide safe, clear daytime vision, and slow or stop progression of myopia. You can read more about this here. And I have written more about this here.
• Atropine drops. This method of myopia control involved the use of prescription eye drops to keep the eyes dilated. This has been used for years and is more popular in Asia, but has not caught on in the US, due to side effects.

But regardless of which method is employed above, it is wise to take frequent, brief breaks from near work. Looking up and away every 15 minutes or so is a good idea, because there is some evidence that it is not the total time during near work, but the length of the individual periods of work that make a bigger difference. Getting outside more is a good idea, but it is not clear if it is the distance vision, sunlight, or some other benefit. Of course, this is true not just for your eyes, but for your body and mind, too!

As vision professionals, we clearly have much work to do in understanding more about why and how myopia occurs. But it is exciting to know that there are treatment options that can reduce the likelihood of progression.

If you have concerns about your vision or if your children have not been thoroughly evaluated, call us at 813-792-0637 to schedule an appointment. After reviewing the examination findings, we can discuss concerns and treatment options that may be right for you.

Be well!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

(Edited to fix a few typos and add some info left out).

Unfortunately, due to the birth of Javier this October, I wasn’t able to make it to one of my favorite meetings: the annual meeting and educational conference of the Orthokeratology Academy of America (OAA). This year it was in Phoenix, AZ. I missed a lot of great topics  including: controlling nearsightedness, non surgical alternatives to vision correcting eye surgery, new lens designs for -improved corneal reshaping treatment, pediatric Ortho-K, post-surgical vision rehabilitation and new Ortho-K therapeutic treatments were unveiled.

Many of my friends and colleagues were there. Close to two hundred attendees came to Phoenix from the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, and places as far as Taiwan and  Singapore.

I am a member of the Orthokeratology Academy of America (OAA). Its mission is to establish policy and to develop and update protocols and education for doctors performing corneal reshaping (orthokeratology).

Myopia is a progressive condition affecting 1.6 billion children and adults worldwide, with expectations that the number will hit 2.5 billion by 2020. Exciting research now shows that orthokeratology can slow the elongation of the eye which contributes to progressive nearsightedness in children and young adults. 20/20 vision can be restored in as little as one day to one month depending on severity.

Orthokeratology involves the fitting of a specialized contact lens designed to reshape the cornea during sleep much like braces realigning the teeth. In addition, Ortho-K is a less expensive and safer alternative to surgical vision correction. For more information on this process, stop by Bright Eyes or go to www.brighteyesorthok.com and www.okglobal.org.

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

I am happy to note that my friend and colleague, William Stephen O.D. of St. Lucy’s Vision Center was featured extensively discussing orthokeratology, also known as ortho-K, CRT, or Precise Corneal Reshaping (PCR). The video aired on Fox 13′s Dr. Jo health segment.

Here is the description of the video from the Fox 13 website. “Patients head to the eye doctor every year, often times for a stronger prescription. But, some people are getting “perfect vision” without contacts or glasses. FOX 13′s Dr. Joette Giovinco shows why “Eye Braces” are being called the vision of the future.”

You can watch the entire video here:

There are several optometrists that provide Ortho-K in the Tampa area.  We the only office in Westchase to provide the service.  If you have any questions about this exciting treatment option or want to schedule a screening, please do not hesitate to call the office at 813-792-0637 or email at office@brighteyestampa.com.

Be Well!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

Ahah! I was scooped on this story by one of my favorite bloggers, Ann Z. from LittleFourEyes. I was going to write a post about this exciting news today, but since she already has. Check it out here.

I Will leave you with a quote from yesterday’s press release:

According to Dr. S. Barry Eiden the trial will also investigate why these special lenses may be effective in slowing myopia.

“Current thinking suggests that these CRT lenses flatten the cornea but other evidence suggests that these lenses may influence the growth in eyeball length (termed axial length). A major contributor to progressive nearsightedness is axial length elongation. Corneal reshaping may actually result in decreased axial length growth. The exact mechanism by which this happens is still being investigated” said Dr. Eiden.

“The results of the SMART Study so far are very exciting,” said Dr. Davis. “The outcomes of this study may revolutionize how we manage young nearsighted patients from this point forward”.

You can go to the SMART study facebook page to find more information.You can also watch a news report on the study here.

It should also be noted that the SMART study is building on additional recent studies that have also found that Orthokeratology has been successful in slowly the progression of myopia.

To find orthokeratology doctors in Tampa and elsewhere: go to the Orthokeratology Academy of America. If you are curious, feel free to call or come in for our no-cost consultation to determine if you are candidate.

Be Well.

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

I was scanning the web the other day doing some research on orthokeratology and I found this video. It was made by my friend and colleague, Richard Anderson, O.D., of Camarillo Optometry. No, he isn’t from Tampa Bay, but he is an exceptionally cool guy.

You may not have heard about orthokeratology (PCR Ortho K) before. It is  a method that uses contact lenses worn at night to eliminate the need for glasses or contacts during the day. You can find out much more at the Orthokeratology Academy of America.

If you have an interest in Ortho K or have family members that are candidates, I encourage you to watch Dr. Andesron’s  video. It is highly explanatory and shows what patients experience.

If you have questions about whether or not PCR Orthokeratology is right for you, call our office or send an email to askdrb@brighteyestampa.com.

Be Well.

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

There is increasing clinical evidence that orthokeratology is an effective method of reduce myopic progression. The latest study,  the SMART (Stabilization of Myopia by Accelerated Reshaping Technique) Trial, a national study led by Chicago researchers Drs. S. Barry Eiden and Robert Davis, adds additional evidence:

“At the end of one year, the test group was absolutely rock solid, no progression (of nearsightedness) at all,” Eiden said. “The control group had two power steps of progression on average.”  One power step equals a change of .25 diopters in prescription strength.

If the study’s hypothesis holds up, children with mild nearsightedness could have healthier eyes as adults, with a greater chance of successful LASIK, vision-correcting surgery and less risk of retinal complications later in life, Eiden said.

This is exciting because many parents ask me about methods to reduce or eliminate the development of nearsightedness. This study is far from over, but it appears to be supporting the efficacy of orthokeratology as a means to control myopia.

Bright Eyes is one of the few offices in Tampa and the only in Westchase to offer orthokeratology. If you have any questions about orthokeratology, or whether or not you or your children are candidates, contact the office at 813-792-0637.

Be Well!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

The other day when I was beginning the follow-up for a patient who is doing Precise Corneal Reshaping, I was handed a small Thank You card.

This patient is a wonderful 10 year old girl who is very funny.  She and her mother were very interested-enough to drive  from Pinellas to the Westchase area of Tampa, several times- in PCR because the girl’s prescription in her glasses had been increasing every six months .  When she started, we talked about how PCR might be difficult because her prescription was high, but that it would give her the best chance of minimizing an increase in her prescription.

Well, after 1 week of wearing the reshaping lenses, she was seeing almost 20/20 without glasses or contacts. She was able to swim and do other summer activities without worry. She was so excited that she wrote the note below:

This is the great thing about being a doctor! Letters like this!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

enough to drive from Pinellas to the Westchase area of Tampa, several times

While people are now learning about Corneal Reshaping, or Orthokeratology, here in the United States, it has been very popular in Asia for quite some time. This is due to the fact that there is a very high prevalence of myopia in many Asian countries and corneal reshaping has been shown to not only temporarily eliminate nearsightedness, but can also reduce its progression.

This 7 minute video was not made in Tampa, but in Asia where ortho-k is very popular, so the girls speak little English.  Still, the video demonstrates how well two young girls do with the reshaping lenses. One girl is quite young and gets help from her parents. Another girl is perhaps 8 or 9 years old and shows how well she handles the lenses by herself.

Click here

Be well!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

This new 13 minute video does an excellent job of describing Precise Corneal Reshaping for patients of all ages.

If you have questions about the process or are curious if you are a candidate, please contact the office.

Be well!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.