Dream lenses that improve eyesight when you sleep with them, the identity of dream lenses

What is Dream Lens?

The official name of Dream Lens is orthokeratologic lens, or OK lens for short. There are two reasons why OK lenses are known as dream lenses. First of all, the first reason is that a certain company that sells OK lenses has used the nickname Dream Lenses for these lenses, and the second reason is that these lenses have the effect of correcting myopia when worn at night.

In the 1940s, it was discovered that wearing lenses could change the shape of the cornea, so from the 1960s to the 1980s, the lens material was improved and the design was changed, and in the 1990s, it was approved by the US FDA and began to be widely used.

The Dream Lens has three characteristics.

First, Dream Lenses use the same material as hard lenses, but the lens size and design are completely different.

Second, since the effect is proportional to the length of time you wear the lenses while you sleep, you should get at least 6 hours of sleep with the lenses on.

Third, it can be made according to the individual's corneal shape and degree of myopia.

Principle and Structure of Dream Lenses

The cornea of our eye is somewhat convex in the middle, and the periphery has a slightly gentle aspherical shape. However, when you wear dream lenses while sleeping, the center of the corneal epithelium, which is the top of the five layers of the cornea, is pressed down, and the periphery becomes convex, causing the cornea to change its shape to a spherical shape.

In fact, dream lenses have a unique structure that is different from the shape of the cornea of our eyes. Here's what it looks like on the eyes.

Pros and cons of Dream Lens

Dream lenses are very stable because they can correct myopia and astigmatism without surgery, and they can also return to their original state when you stop wearing them.

There is no age limit, and even young children can wear Dream Lenses. In particular, when worn during the growth period, it is considered to be a great advantage that it can suppress the progression of myopia by nearly 50%. In fact, ophthalmologists also often choose Dream Lens procedures when a child's myopia progresses.

Of course, there are disadvantages. The cost is quite high, and the inconvenience is that the effect only lasts if the lenses are worn consistently. The procedure is also somewhat difficult, so it is advantageous to have it prescribed by an experienced ophthalmologist.

Safety of Dream Lenses

Dream Lens is a lens approved by the U.S. FDA and KFDA in Korea, and its safety has been verified because it not only has high oxygen permeability but also affects only the uppermost epithelium of the cornea.

However, careful care is required if the lens is touched with contaminated hands or if the lens is not preserved or maintained, as it can lead to complications such as keratitis.

Dream Lenses and Vision Correction Surgery

Some people are worried about whether wearing Dream Lenses will affect their LASIK/LASEK surgery. Dream lenses only affect the epithelium of the cornea, and when you stop wearing them, the cornea returns to its original state, so there is no major hindrance to LASIK/LASEK surgery. However, it will take at least a month for the cornea to recover to its original state, so it is recommended that you stop wearing lenses in the meantime.

Dream Lenses and LASIK/LASEK both correct myopia by flattening the cornea, but the difference is that LASIK/LASEK uses a laser to excise the cornea, while Dream Lenses uses lenses to press on the cornea. For this reason, Dream Lenses are better than surgical methods in terms of age restriction and safety, but it seems that many people choose LASIK/LASEK surgery after the growth period because they need to be worn for a long time.