Orthokeratology (ortho-k) is a nonsurgical treatment for children and adults that uses part-time contact lenses to reshape the cornea and improve vision. These revolutionary lenses are distinct from traditional contact lenses because they are usually worn only at night. With regular use, an orthokeratology patient can enjoy clear vision without glasses or daytime contact lenses, and no eye surgery necessary.
At Beyond Vision Center, our eye doctors are highly trained in both comprehensive and specialized eye care, including the use of specialty contact lenses like ortho-k lenses. This allows us to offer comfortable treatment and management of myopia, high myopia, and other eye conditions for children and adults.
If you have myopia or another eye condition, ortho-k specialty lenses can provide a simple, comfortable path to better vision. Reach out to either of our Southern California offices today.
Ortho-k is mainly used for myopia control. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is the most common eye condition in the world. In addition to assisting in the management of myopia, this special contact lens treatment can also be effective for patients with other eye conditions including astigmatism and presbyopia.
Ortho-k is a great alternative for those wary of improving vision with eye surgery but who want clear vision without glasses or daytime contacts. For a child struggling with myopia or other eye conditions, ortho-k is a safe and effective option for vision correction since surgery is not recommended until vision is fully developed.
Myopia is currently on the rise in children. At Beyond Vision Center, we always check for myopia during routine eye exams. This is one reason it’s important to keep up with exams for yourself and your child. Children don’t always know how vision is supposed to look or feel, so regular exams can help your optometrist catch problems and begin treatment early.
Myopia—nearsightedness—makes faraway objects appear blurry. It usually occurs because the shape of the eye causes light to bend incorrectly. While myopia cannot be reversed, management can slow its progression and improve long-term vision outcomes, especially for children.
Myopia patients may not notice vision disturbances with near objects—“nearsightedness” means that distant objects are out of focus. Common myopia symptoms include:
Nationwide, it is estimated that 36% of children have myopia, a significant uptick from past generations. This increase in myopia is due in part to an increase in near work, like tablet and cell phone use.
It’s important for parents to watch for symptoms of myopia in their child, since children may
not know they have the eye condition. Symptoms include:
If you notice your child displaying these symptoms, they may be struggling with myopia.
In addition to ortho-k, myopia can be treated with glasses, contact lenses, and surgeries like LASIK and PRK. Everyone is different, and it’s important to discuss your eye care needs and vision goals with your optometrist.
Orthokeratology works in a similar way to orthodontic braces. Ortho-k lenses improve vision by reshaping the cornea of your eye. Lenses are made of a rigid, gas-permeable material that allows oxygen to pass through the lens to your eye and is strong enough to reform your corneal surface. You only wear your lenses at night, and during this time, the lens gently flattens the center of your cornea. When you take your lenses out, you can experience clear vision without glasses or other contact lenses.
You may need a series of different lenses as your optometrist reshapes your eye. With regular use, your cornea will maintain its shape. However, ortho-k is not permanent—if you stop wearing your lenses, your eye will eventually return to its original shape.
For both child and adult patients, specialty lenses require special eye exams. During your exam, your doctor will check your eye health and map the surface of your eye with a corneal topographer. The topographer never touches your eye—exams are comfortable and painless. Then, your doctor will design your unique ortho-k lens.
It usually takes two weeks to achieve optimal vision correction with ortho-k; however, some patients see results sooner. Exactly how long treatment takes depends on the patient. Your doctor will discuss what to expect with your lenses based on your unique eye function and health.
Ortho-k contact lens treatment is a safe, proven method of myopia treatment and vision correction. As with all contact lenses, proper at-home eye care is critical, as there is an increased risk of eye infection with all types of contact wear.
Ortho-k can be a great option for your child’s myopia management. However, since a child is more likely than an adult to struggle with general eye care and hygiene, it’s important to make sure your child is maintaining good eye health practices and taking care of their lenses. Proper contact care is vital to good eye care.
Dr. Hunter Morgan is a highly qualified eye doctor with specialization in the fitting and use of specialty lenses, including ortho-k contacts in the management of corneal diseases.