YOUNGSTOWN Area doctors give new shape to vision correction

In mild cases of vision trouble, the lenses can reshape the cornea within hours.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- OrthoKeratology, sometimes referred to as "braces" for the eyes, offers an alternative to eyeglasses, standard contacts or surgical eye correction for some patients.
The Food and Drug Administration approved overnight Ortho-K in the United States in June, according to Dr. Gregory J. Fagert of Columbiana. Dr. Fagert, along with Dr. John W. Barnhart of Champion, are among practitioners offering the Ortho-K process, which they say is still relatively new to the area.
It's a nonsurgical process in which the cornea is reshaped using a series of special contact lenses to correct myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatism.
With controlled flattening of the cornea, it is possible to bring the eye into correct focus and compensate for myopia. After the contact lens is removed, the cornea retains its flattened shape for part or all of the remainder of the day. A retainer lens must be used each day to maintain the corneal flattening, or the myopia will revert, much as teeth can return to their original position if braces are removed.
The Ortho-K procedure was first used more than 40 years ago when eye doctors noticed that some contact lens wearers' vision improved after wearing their lenses. A series of lenses was needed, each flattening the cornea a small amount, until the vision was corrected.
The original Ortho-K procedure could take months to years. Today, however, it is possible to reduce myopia in a matter of days in some cases.
How it works
The cornea focuses light on the retina (receiving screen) at the back of the eye.
By changing the cornea's shape, clear, functional vision may be restored for a period of time in just a few hours in mild cases to a few months in very difficult cases.
The advantage of Ortho-K is that glasses and contacts just correct vision, not the eye problem causing the bad vision. Also, if there is a problem, it is reversible, said Dr. Fagert.
The corrective lens can work while the patient is awake or sleeping, and is particularly good for children, who Dr. Fagert said are not candidates for surgery.
Once good functional vision is corrected, the wearing time can gradually be reduced until a minimal-wear time is established that maintains the corneal shape needed for good vision.
Getting training
Dr. Fagert, a 1980 graduate of Youngstown Ursuline High School and a 1989 graduate of The Ohio State University School of Optometry, said he trained himself in the Ortho-K process over the past five years by doing a lot of research on his own and consulting with doctors from around the country who have been doing the procedure for many years.
Dr. Fagert said the Ortho-K process, which can cost about $1,000 for both eyes in uncomplicated cases, is generally not covered by insurance.
However, he said vision insurance may cover the original eye examination and the lens portion of it.
He said Ortho-K is useful for older people because doctors can reshape one eye for reading and one eye for distance.