When you are used to eyeglasses or regular contact lenses, the first thing you see in the morning when you wake up is blurry images. While many people with myopia may be used to this, imagine waking up and everything is bright and clear. This is the appeal that comes with ortho-k, a revolutionary solution to correcting refractive errors.
These lenses are worn overnight, allowing you to spend the entire day free of any contacts or glasses. One of the most alluring facts about the lenses is that they work for children and adults. 

 

What Is Ortho-k?

Also known as orthokeratology, this treatment is a form of corneal reshaping therapy. It changes the shape of the cornea noninvasively—one of its most attractive attributes—and works best for people with myopia.

It uses unique, breathable rigid gas-permeable lenses to change the shape of your cornea while you sleep. The changes are gentle and painless but also temporary, meaning you must keep using the lenses every night to maintain clear vision. 

 

How Does Ortho-k Work?

Ortho-k works for conditions that impact the shape of the cornea, resulting in poor refraction of light going into the eye. These abnormal changes can occur due to genetics or other causes and are often irreversible. Ortho-k temporarily corrects this change in the shape of the cornea to provide better refraction of light. The lenses are typically custom fitted as everyone’s cornea has a shape unique to it. 

The eye doctor will use corneal topography to get the details of the shape of your cornea. Using this information, they determine the amount of reshaping your cornea requires for clear vision. The data also helps them know how much time you will need to get to the ideal corneal shape. 

 

Timeline

The changes in the shape of your cornea do not happen in a single night or with a single set of lenses. While you will notice significant changes in your vision after the first night, you will need several adjustments.

Usually, patients who choose ortho-k need about three prescription changes to reach the final one. As the lenses change, your vision will improve until the final corneal shape is achieved. The process takes about two weeks, varying according to the extent of reshaping your eyes needed. 

 

What Can Ortho-k Treat?

While ortho-k is excellent for myopia, it can also treat other refractive errors, although not as effectively.

Eye doctors, depending on your prescription, can prescribe ortho-k for the following errors:

• Presbyopia or age-related farsightedness

• Hyperopia or farsightedness

• Irregular corneal curvatures or astigmatism

Who Is a Good Candidate for Ortho-k?

You are a good candidate for the treatment if your prescription falls within +2.00 and -6.00 diopters with astigmatism levels at 1.75D or less. Patients with mild to moderate myopia are the best candidates because they can achieve almost 90% vision correction with ortho-k.

You may also be an excellent candidate if you are in the following scenarios:

• You do not qualify for LASIK.

• Glasses are not ideal for your work; for instance, athletes.

• Children with progressive myopia.

• You prefer temporary vision correction alternatives instead of laser surgery. 
  
   

For more on the revolutionary approach of orthokeratology, visit Premier Eye Care at our office in Fort Worth, Texas. Call (817) 428-2020 to book an appointment today.