What is OrthoKeratology?
Orthokeratology is a corneal reshaping lens that is worn at night time. The lenses allow for a reversible change in the shape of the front surface of the eye. At night, tissue of the top layer of the cornea is moved from the center of the eye to the periphery and allows the wearer to see during the day without additional lenses or glasses. This is one of the most effective lens therapy for myopia control.
How does Orthok slow down Myopia ?
Ortho-k lenses reshape the top layer of the front of the eye by gentle moving tissue from the center to the periphery. Tissues moved to the periphery create patient center power that serves as a signal for the eye to stop growing. Studies show that orthokeratology lenses have a 50-60% reduction in myopia progression. Orthokeratology lenses are good for patients with low to moderate myopia and astigmatism. Orthokeratology lenses are FDA approved and safe for children and adults of all ages.
What is the experience of OrthoK?
Imagine how wonderful it would be to wake up with clear vision every morning. You simply insert the lens before bed and wake up in the morning, remove the lenses, and enjoy the clear vision all day. You could eliminate the distortions, glare or blur from smudge glasses. Or the irritation of dry eyes due to contact lens overhear. Orthokeratology offers a more natural vision because there are no lenses in your eyes during the day time.
First visit is the consultation
At the first visit, we will take a topography measurement which tells us the shape of the front of the eye. This will not only allow us to better fit orthokeratology lenses but will also let us rule out any irregularities on the front surface. Next we measure the eye length, this gives us a baseline for how long the eye is now. In 6 months we will recheck this measurement to see if the eye has grown. This is our most accurate measure for myopia progression. Then we will update the prescription to make sure the lens power is accurate. Finally we will check the health of the front surface of the eye to ensure that contact lens wear is safe. Depending on these findings, we will determine if your child is a good candidate for orthokeratology wear. We will also discuss lifestyle and see if orthokeratology is something that can be incorporated into your child’s life successfully. If you and your child decide to proceed, we will order the custom lenses to be given at the next appointment.
Second is the lens training of Insertion and Removal
The lenses have now arrived! The lenses will be cleaned then placed on the eyes. We will evaluate the fit of the lens and check vision with the lenses on. If fit and vision are good, we will then train you and your child to apply and remove the lens. If successful with training, the lenses can now be taken home. We will give you all the supplies needed to kick start orthokeratology wear. Follow up visits will be scheduled. Our recommended follow up schedule is 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year. We may recommend additional follow ups if needed. This thorough follow up schedule ensures safe and effective contact lens wear. It is important to bring your lenses to all follow up appointments
1 day follow up - AM appointment
The goal of the 1 day follow up is to ensure that your child’s first night with the lenses was successful. We want to see your child first thing in the morning. Although we do not expect full treatment until 2 weeks of contact lens wear, we can see if treatment is on the right track. We will measure your child’s vision and repeat the topography measurement. Then we will check the front of the eye for dry areas and scratches. This is an important follow up visit to reinforce insertion and removal protocol and also solution usage.
1 week/2week/1 month/3 months
At all the follow up appointments we will check the vision, topography, and eye health. We will also check the condition of the lens, so make sure to bring the lenses to each visit. Based on the exam, the doctors will make changes to the lenses as needed.
Annual Appointment and continuous myopia control treatment
Annual appointments are extremely important for tracking myopia progression. During the annual appointment we will recheck the prescription and take a measurement of the length of the eye. The length of the eye is our most accurate tool for determining if myopia progression has occurred. If myopia progression has occurred, we can make changes to the design of the lens or add additional myopia control treatments. If being treated with orthokeratology lenses, we will also take a topography measurement which tells us the shape of the eye. This in turn allows us to determine how the lens is functioning at night. We will also check the condition of the lens, making sure there are no scratches and deposits that can be harmful to the eye. During the annual appointment, we will determine whether the patient can continue with their current lenses or if a new pair of lenses is needed. Finally and most importantly, we check the health of the eyes, both the front and back, ensuring optimal ocular health. Annual appointments are critical for preventing further myopia and contact lens related problems. We also recommend for two hours of outdoor activities daily to slow myopic progression and for non myopic children, outdoor time can reduce the risk of developing myopia.
Patients with low and moderate myopia are great candidates for ortho-k. If myopia is higher or is present with high astigmatism, the patient may still be a candidate for Ortho-K but may need more visits to achieve a successful outcome. If your prescription is out of range for orthok, multifocal lenses are an excellent option.
No, it is reversible non permanent treatment. If you stop wearing the lenses nightly, your vision will return to its normal state in as little as three days.
This depends on your initially prescription. The lower the myopia the faster the initial treatment. Some patients experience clear vision in as little as 1-2 days. While others can take 1-2 weeks.
As with any type of contact lens wear, there is a small risk involved due to hygiene. To minimize the risk to almost zero, contact lens hygiene is crucial. Wash your hands for 20 seconds before inserting or removing the lenses from the eye. Follow the doctor's instructions carefully on how to properly clean the lenses. Make it a habit to replace lenses every year, replace cases every month, replace plungers every 3 months, and always use fresh solution. Never top off old solution.
Yes! One of the great features of OrthoK lenses is that you get to clear vision with the lenses on. In case you do need to wake up in the middle of the night, you will see clearly. The beauty of theses lenses is clear vision 24 hours a day on and off.
For maximum vision and comfort your OrthoK lenses should be replaced once a year. Since lenses older than a year can be warped or excessive protein build up.
Your lenses should be chemically disinfected after every use. Your optometrist will instruct you with which care system is best for you ..
Our doctors will evaluate your level of astigmatism and recommend the best myopia treatment. If your astigmatism is out of range for OrthoK lenses we can fit you with multifocal contact lenses for myopia control.
We recommend wearing the lenses 30 minutes to 1 hour before bed.
8 hours is the ideal length of time the lenses should be worn, but anywhere from 6-12 hours is fine. If you know you are going to be sleeping for more than 12 hours, we ask that you simply remove your lenses and go back to sleep.
No. The first day, your vision may not improve and if it does, it only lasts for a couple of hours, then it will fade back to your starting prescription. You will need to wear an older pair of glasses at this time. However, each night that you wear the lenses, your “good” vision will last longer than the day before. For most patients, it takes anywhere from 1-2 weeks before their vision lasts the majority of the day.
No. The lens can move off center, but it can’t go “behind” the eye. There is tissue and muscle that surrounds the eye, preventing this from happening.
Office Hours
Mon-Wednesday : 9:00 am - 5:45 pm
Thursday: 8:45 am-4:45 pm
Friday: 8:45 am- 4:45 pm
Closed : Saturday, Sunday
