Ortho-K is a non-permanent treatment of refractive errors using rigid contact lens wear overnight, every night, to mould the cornea into shape during the day.
For higher degrees of refractive errors, the effect may not be long enough to last through the day. It is also uncomfortable, especially for new users (those who had worn hard contact lenses can attest to it), and has a higher risk of being associated with corneal ulcers and infections as the hard lenses are worn during sleep, when the eyes may be unwittingly exposed/traumatized, compared to normal daily contact lens use.
In general it is used for childhood myopia sufferers as laser-based refractive surgeries are not recommended for children and adolescents whose eye power is not yet stable.
LASIK (together with its alternative techniques such as SMILE and surface ablation, and also implantable contact lens) on the other hand offers a much more permanent solution of freedom from optical aid.
It offers a versatile treatment for a wide range of eye power, from low to pretty high myopia, as well as astigmatism and longsightedness, and with proper planning and understanding, even presbyopia as well. A successful LASIK surgery should provide spectacle and contact-lens freedom for the individual for at least 10-15 years.
Generally, apart from the temporary side effects such as dry eyes and some glare and halos which usually subside with time, significant complications are rare.
Provided the eye power is stable and the eye assessment is safe for LASIK, it can be performed from 18-21 year old onward, (depending on which clinic you visit) in Singapore.
