Ortho-K Specialist

What is orthokeratology (ortho-k)?

Ortho-k is a therapeutic treatment that uses special contact lenses to temporarily reshape your eye to improve vision. During treatment, you wear special contact lenses at night while you sleep, which temporarily improves the shape of your eye during the day. 

How does ortho-k work?

Ortho-k works for the eye in a similar fashion as braces for the teeth. The special contact lens molds your cornea to make it more spherical, which improves vision.

Your cornea is the clear, rounded flexible lens found in the front of your eye that allows the light in. The shape of your cornea determines the placement of the light on your retina, which determines the clarity of your vision.

For the clearest vision, your cornea should be shaped like a basketball. Most refractive eye conditions, including myopia and astigmatism, develop due to abnormalities in the shape of the cornea that affect the placement of the light on your retina. Improving the shape of your cornea improves the direction of the light and the focus of your vision.

Am I a good candidate for ortho-k?

Dr. Arthur determines if you’re a good candidate for ortho-k during a comprehensive eye exam. The therapy is most beneficial to those with myopia, or nearsightedness, and serves as a nonsurgical alternative for better vision.

Ortho-k may be especially beneficial to children with myopia. Due to the growth and development of the eye, refractive eye surgery isn’t an option for children. Additionally, ortho-k may help prevent the progression of myopia in children and reduce the risk of eye conditions, such as glaucoma, cataracts, or retinal detachment, that is more commonly seen in those with severe myopia.

Perspective Family Eyecare is one of only a few practices certified with Paragon CRT® (corneal refractive therapy), which Dr. Arthur uses to provide myopia control services. Myopia control refers to the various treatments used to prevent the progression of myopia in children. 

How long does it take to benefit from ortho-k?

With nightly use of your ortho-k contact lenses, you should start to experience an improvement in your uncorrected vision within two weeks of treatment. However, like the retainer for your teeth, to maintain the improvements in your vision, you need to continue to wear your contact lenses to maintain the shape of your eye.

To learn more about ortho-k and help determine if it’s an option for you, contact Perspective Family Eyecare by phone or online today.