Anonymous

Anonymous (age 16)

Years of Ortho-K use: 8 years

Starting Prescription (2013):
Right Eye: -1.75 -1.25 x 003
Left Eye: -3.25 -0.50 x 175

Current Prescription (2020):
Right Eye: -2.00 -1.25 x 001
Left Eye: -3.50 -0.75 x 178

Total Prescription change on Ortho-K:
0.25 diopters increase in both eyes over 8 years of Ortho-K use.

Hobbies and Interests:
● I like playing the flute and playing badminton.
● It’s really hard to choose a favorite subject, but I would have to go with either math, science, or computer science.

1) How has Dr. Lo and the staff at East Bay Vision Center helped shape your experience with Ortho-K?
“The one thing I found most encouraging about being under Dr. Lo’s care is how responsive she is to my questions. Whenever I needed anything, be it more solutions or notifying her of my eyes being red, I could send Dr. Lo a text message, and she would respond quickly. She’s just always there for me, which really showed how she would be willing to help me with whatever I needed related to my eyes.”

2) Personally, what benefits of Ortho-K are you happiest about?
“From my perspective, I feel like I benefited from using the special contact lenses, because my nearsightedness did not get worse over the years. With lenses on during the night, I could see very clearly without lenses during the day. This is significant especially in regards to sports: I used to swim, and if my eyesight remained blurry, I couldn’t have been able to see. I play badminton and would have had to fear the birdie hitting my glasses. Most worrisome was the fear of getting my glasses stolen, or worse broken, as then I would not have been able to see well.”

“I also feel like I benefited by establishing a routine, something that I always do every single morning and every single night. After I wake up, I take off my contacts; before I sleep I put them back on. As a result, there is some structure in my schedule. Overall, I feel like I am happiest about being able to see clearly despite being nearsighted, and that my nearsightedness is limited (from further progression).”

3) What was your experience like learning to use Ortho-K lenses and how would you describe your comfort with the contact lenses now? Were there challenges you had to overcome?
“Initially, the most difficult part of adapting to wearing contact lenses, and the idea of putting something foreign in my eyes. It was weird honestly. I learn quickly though. Now, contact lenses feel like second nature- they are so comfortable that I don’t have to think about them.”

“Perhaps the most challenging part of using the contacts was being flexible in the face of adversity. I remember accidentally dropping a contact on the floor and chipping it off a bit making it unwearable; I had to adapt to wearing glasses for a while (ugh) when I could not wear the contacts. When I had an infection, Dr. Lo had me switch to a new type of contact storage container and solution, which comes along with a new set of instructions on how to wear and care for the contacts.”

4) What would you tell someone younger who has been recommended Ortho-K treatment by their optometrist, but they are on-the-fence about committing to it?
“Given that this patient has a degree of nearsightedness so that they are recommended Ortho-K, wearing glasses would not be suitable in preventing nearsightedness from getting worse. I would tell them that it (Ortho-K treatment) would greatly help in maintaining the level of nearsightedness they have right now, and they can see clearly without glasses. I would warn them that they may need to get used to the idea of putting something in their eye, but from my own experience, it did not take long to get accustomed.”