World Optometry Week Celebration #Orthokeratology

Orthokeratology is a non-surgical procedure that involves the use of rigid gas permeable contact lenses to gradually reshape the cornea. The Procedure is mostly used for myopic cases nonetheless is known to be effective for improving or eliminating conditions such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), imperfections in eye curvature (astigmatism), and age-related farsightedness (presbyopia). Contact Lenses are used for Orthokeratology treatment, these lenses vary from the standard Contact Lenses used generally to correct refractive errors. The lenses are rigid gas permeable (RGP) designed to shift the cornea from its normal aspheric shape to a more spherical shape. Lenses used in Orthokeratology may be worn during the day or in the night and are comes in tints of yellow red or violet. Lenses made to be worn overnight provides clear vision during the day without the lens. Lenses are made to be worn for about a week to four weeks until the required cornea shaping is achieved nonetheless if not maintained with after therapy lenses known as retainers changes would revert back to the default.

BENEFITS OF ORTHOKERATOLOGY
Orthokeratology is a nonsurgical procedure thus risks associated with surgical procedures are completely eliminated to make things even better changes made to cornea shape during therapy session is completely reversible when one stops using the retainer lenses. It is bound by age factor thus it may be done on children, teenagers and adults although it mostly recommended for those below forty years (40years). It slows myopia progression and reverses myopia, changes made can be maintained so long as retainer lenses are worn after the one to four weeks therapy session is over. Another thing with Orthokeratology is that one may not need to wear contact lens during the day since lenses used are made mostly to be worn at night with the changes effecting during the day. Some research has also shown that orthokeralogy reduces intraocular pressure as oppose to the ideas that the impression against the cornea would rather increase Intraocular Pressure, this may even be beneficial to people with ocular hypertension and glaucoma with high standing intraocular pressure.

What is @bettervision about?

@bettervision is is a project initiated by @nattybongo and friends to give back to the society the knowledge and skill acquired through the Optometric Studies in Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.It is an outreach system where we visit the less privileged communities to offer free eye screening services and education to the people within the community

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To reduce or prevent vision loss through diseases such as glaucoma, cataract and refractive errors.

To enlighten the majority of the Ghanaian population about the importance of proper visual care.

To conscientize people on the need for regular eye checks

To get more people to have their wards screened within the Critical periods of a Child’s Vision Development; thus from ages 3 to till about 10 years.

To help the blind and people with low vision live a better life within the society through education of the general public to stop stigmatization.

To help in the fight of extreme poverty that puts the health of people at risk

Our greatest gratitude goes to @fundition @adollaraday @surfyogi @girlsfoundation @bleepcoin @ackza @indigoocean @nanzo-scoop @steemstem @demotruk @pennsif @steem-ambassador @kasho and @wafrica for helping to make the aims and objectives of @bettervision a reality.

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