Orthokeratology
What is orthokeratology?
Orthokeratology, or ortho-K, is a non-surgical procedure using specially designed
retainer lenses to gently and safely reshape the front of the eye to improve vision.
These retainer lenses are worn overnight, temporarily molding the cornea to
provide clear vision without the use of glasses or daytime contacts. The vision
correction can be maintained as long as your keep wearing the lenses and continue
care with your optometrist to make any changes to the lens design that may be
necessary over time. By the same time, the effects are reversible; if you stop
wearing the lenses, your corneas go back to their pre-treatment shape and your
vision becomes blurry again.
Who can use Orthokeratology?
Eye doctors generally prescribe ortho-k lenses for two reasons. It can correct mild to moderate refractive errors and delay the progression of nearsightedness (myopia) in children. Orthokeratology is an excellent option for all adults who need myopic prescriptions.
How long do Ortho K lenses take to work?
The ortho k contact lenses are worn overnight and help to correct refraction vision through gentle reshaping of the surface of the eye. Typically, patients will see an immediate improvement after one night of use. Expect maximum vision correction in about two weeks.
How often should you change Ortho-K lenses?
The recommendation is to replace your Ortho-K lenses every one to two years depending on their condition. Timely replacement of the lenses maximize the quality of the Ortho-K reshaping, as wear and tear will compromise its effect over time.
Fitting Procedure of Ortho k lens
During the initial consultation visit, we will gather information about your eyes
(corneal topography, prescription, pupil size, etc), discuss whether or not you are a
good candidate, discuss risks/benefits, and answer any questions you may have.
If you decide to proceed, we will then create and order the customized ortho-K
retainer lenses. We will have you come in and try the lenses on to make sure they fit
appropriately. If so, we will train you how to insert and remove them, as well as how
to properly clean and care for the lenses. Once the training is successfully
completed, you will then go home and sleep in your new lenses!
We will see you again the next morning to see how effective the lenses were in
reshaping your corneas. Based on this assessment, we will make changes as we
need to.
The typical schedule for progress checks would be 1 week, 1 month, 3-6 months, and
every 6 months going forward. This allows us to monitor for changes in vision or
changes in corneal curvature that may need to be corrected by altering the retainer
lens design. It also allows us to check for any complications that may arise.
Most patients reach full correction within two weeks. You may experience slight
regression/blurry vision toward the end of the day, but this should improve over
time. You may also need multiple temporary lenses until the desired amount of
correction is achieved.
Corneal Topography Before Ortho-K Corneal Topography After Ortho-K
* The success of orthokeratology therapy is dependent on a combination of patient
compliance, proper retainer lens fitting, good adherence to follow-up schedule, and
expeditious treatment of any complications.
Am I a good candidate for Ortho-K?
astigmatism?
good vision without glasses or contacts?
uncomfortable?
nearsightedness?
If your answer to any or all of the above questions is YES, consider setting up an
appointment for an ortho-K consultation to learn more and determine if ortho-K is right for you.
