Post: #1

As promised, here is a brief datasheet on a little known treatment for nearsightedness.

Back in the day when hard contact lenses were the norm they noticed a peculiar trend. Patients would see slight improvements that lasted after taking their lenses off. It turned out that using a hard lens would "push" on the cornea resulting in a slight correction that would last for a long time.

Recently they have adopted this into a dedicated treatment method called "Corneal Reshaping Lenses". The way it works is very simple. You're fitted for a special set of hard contact lenses, you wear those lenses overnight, and it leaves improved vision when you wake up that lasts for a period ranging from hours to multiple days.


The downsides: only one major one. Even a well fitted pair of lenses tends to be somewhat uncomfortable at first so it can be hard to sleep with them in. FIT is a huge deal and I'll get to that.

Cost: varies widely. One doctor wanted $1500 for an "all in" treatment that was good for all required fitting, follow ups, and care. The university eye center, on the other hand, ordered my lenses for $150/each.


Practical application: while the treatment has been very effective, fitting was difficult for me. Not many doctors offer this treatment yet and it tends to expensive.

The routine is pretty simple. Before you go to bed you grab your lenses, clean off your finger and your eyeball, and drop the lens on. the idea is that you go to sleep after. They CAN be worn during the day but they get dry and uncomfortable fairly quickly. It's also worth noting that they get more comfortable with time in the eye. They may be irritating during the first ten minutes but once they "settle" you won't notice they're there while resting. To get them out you have to use a small silicone plunger. Make Sure you have an extra plunger or two because it will be hard to get them out without one. It's also a bad idea to rub your eyes with them in.

Otherwise they're effective and easy to use, there is ZERO daytime treatment required and no visible signs of use. Fit will be your biggest problem because an imperfect fit will feel like you have an eyelash in your eye and make it extremely difficult to sleep with them in.

What they won't tell you right up front is that some doctors can scan your eye and order a custom-made set of lenses for your eye. I would highly recommend this because the fit will be better than a standard lens, and fit is everything. It can be the difference between the lenses being barely noticeable and being so irritating as to be painful.


Overall I'd recommend it. It's a low-commitment alternative to surgery, doesn't have the visual disadvantages of glasses, and you don't have the other problems associated with normal contacts. In exchange you will have a significant adjustment curve as you get your eyes used to using them.

Post: #2

Interesting. By how much did your eyesight improve and how quickly did it do so?

Post: #3

Bump. I would also be interested in the answers to the above question.

Post: #4

Is the treatment eventually permanent, or do you have to wear the lenses indefinitely?

Post: #5

That was the reason I was given hard lenses, the hope was my vision would stop getting worse and possibly improve. They were right.