Do you want to be glasses and contacts-free but don’t qualify for laser eye surgery? Or, are you concerned with surgery-related complications and desire a safer option? Imagine waking up every morning with clear vision. Thanks to these custom-made lenses, you don’t have to wear glasses or contacts during the day, and best of all — it’s surgery-free.

Orthokeratology, or ortho-k lenses, are FDA approved contact lenses that are rigid gas permeable. They are custom fitted to your eye. They gently reshape your cornea, correcting your vision while you sleep. It’s like orthodontics for your eyes and the treatment is often compared to dental braces. This results in a full day of glasses/contact lenses-free, clear vision. Ortho-k is ideal for those with myopia, or nearsightedness, but can also be used in cases of farsightedness. It can also be adjusted to compensate for mild astigmatism. It is important to note that not all eye doctors who handle standard contact lenses can fit ortho-k lenses. At our practice, the highly-trained eye care provider regularly fits these lenses for children and adults alike. Ortho-k is a simpler, user-friendly and safer method of correcting vision than laser surgery.

How Ortho-K Works

The cornea is a clear, dome-shaped window in the front of your eye that focuses light onto the retina and is responsible for most of the eye’s ability to focus. Its tissue is very flexible.

The first step is to get fitted by your eye care provider. They will map and measure the surface of your cornea using an instrument called a corneal topographer and then design a lens especially for your eye. The cornea map is created by reflecting light off the surface of the eye. The machine doesn’t touch your eye and there is no pain. The corneal topography map shows your doctor the shape and curves of your cornea.

The ortho-k lenses work by flattening the center of the cornea, changing how light is bent as it enters the eye. Most orthokeratology lenses are worn overnight to flatten the cornea then removed during the day. These overnight lenses are rigid, gas-permeable lenses that are sturdy enough to reshape the cornea, but also allow oxygen through so your eye stays healthy.

When ortho-k lenses are removed the cornea stays flattened for a while and vision is corrected without the need for glasses. After removing your lenses, you can achieve 20/20 vision all day long, though results may vary depending on eye shape and refractive error. If you stop wearing the lenses at night, your eyes will eventually go back to their original shape and the refractive error will return. You have to keep wearing the lenses regularly to keep the vision corrected.

Why Choose Ortho-K

Though more expensive than traditional contact lenses, ortho-k is a less costly option than corrective laser surgery. These custom lenses provide clear vision throughout the waking hours without changing the integrity or quality of the cornea (as opposed to corrective laser surgery).

As mentioned above, Ortho-k lenses are also an excellent option for athletes as all-day clear vision removes the need to wear any prescription glasses (which may get broken during play) or contacts, which can be at times irritating to the eyes.

Let us help you explore a safer, surgery-free alternative, by providing you with clear vision without the need for daytime eyeglasses or contact lenses. If you would like to have an initial consultation, call us at (732) 858 -1646. We will be happy to assist!

Why Ortho-K Is Safer Than LASIK

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For those seeking a long-term solution to their vision problems, laser corrective surgery might sound like a good option — though it comes with the risk of complications.

The side-effects following corrective laser surgery (i.e. LASIK) may include severe dry eye and under or overcorrection. Unlike LASIK, Ortho-k has almost no side effects and has been helping people see safely since the 1990s.

Ortho-k is also an excellent option for those not eligible for laser surgery, such as people with very thin or irregular corneas, dry eyes, unstable vision, or high refractive error. People who don’t want the hassle of day-time contacts, such as athletes or workers exposed to windy environments, should consider ortho-k as a long-term vision solution.

Furthermore, ortho-k is completely reversible, meaning, you simply stop using them and go back to wearing your corrective lenses. If you stop wearing the ortho-k lenses, the cornea will revert back to its original shape. Laser surgery, on the other hand, permanently removes a portion of the cornea.
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What Can You Expect From Ortho-K?

It can take an average of two weeks, although sometimes it can take up to four weeks, to attain the maximum vision correction from orthokeratology.. Some patients experience significant vision improvement in days. In clinical studies of FDA approved ortho-k lenses, most patients achieved 20/40 vision or better.

Until you get used to them within 1-2 weeks, you will probably feel the lenses on your eyes until you fall asleep. With time, they usually become more comfortable. Once your corneas have gotten the final desired curve, you will use a retainer lens—as often as your doctor recommends—to maintain your vision.