Orthokeratology
Improve your vision and prevent prescription changes.
NO DAYTIME LENSES
No need to hassle with contacts or glasses. Just enjoy great vision all day long.
NO SURGERY
Unlike refractive surgery, ortho-K is reversible and can be adjusted for changes in your eyesight.
NO AGE RESTRICTION
Children and adults alike can benefit from ortho-k lenses and the freedom it provides.
Wake up and see without glasses or contacts.
Orthokeratology (ortho-k) is a non-surgical solution for patients who want to overcome nearsightedness (myopia) or astigmatism while not wearing glasses or contacts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click a question to reveal answers.
How does Ortho-K work?
You simply wear specially designed contact lenses while you sleep. The lenses will gently mold the shape of the eye which decreases to the power of the eye and correcting nearsightedness and astigmatism. Upon waking in the morning you remove your ortho-k lenses and enjoy 20/20 all day without glasses or contact.
Is Ortho-K safe?
Ortho-k lenses are surprisingly comfortable to wear. Most people comment that they forget they have the lenses in after the first week of wear.
Similar to contacts worn during the day, the main adverse effect with ortho-k is an infection of the cornea. However, with proper care and maintenance the risk of infection is very low.
How long does it take to work?
Your vision will be noticiably better after one night of wear. The higher your prescription, the longer it takes to get maximum vision but most people obtain excellent vision within one week of wear.
Are ortho-k lenses comfortable to wear?
Ortho-k lenses are smaller and firmer than soft disposable contacts. During the first few days of wear they are a little more noticable. When you close your eyes to sleep you don’t feel them at all. After about a week of wear most patients hardly notice them at all while worn.
How much does orthokeratology cost?
During the initial year the cost is about $185 per month. This includes all office visits, one pair of lenses, and any lens exchanges in case the doctor wants to modify a lens to improve the patient’s vision. If you lose or break a lens you will need to replace it at your expense.
In subsequent years the fee is reduced because there are usually fewer office visits to maintain optimal vision and comfort. Each year a new pair of lenses is included.
Can I see with my Ortho-K lenses in?
Yes, as soon as you insert your lenses you will be able to see. So even if you need to get up in the middle of the night you will be able to see where you are going.
How long do I have to wear Ortho-K lenses?
There are two answers to this. Usually the main goal of orthokeratology is to prevent your prescription from getting worse each year. For most people, their vision stabilizes around the age of 18-20 years old. In this case a patient will usually switch to daytime contact lenses or consider refractive surgery such as LASIK.
Many people, however, love the freedom ortho-K provides from needing to wear glasses or contact lenses during the day. So they continue to wear ortho-K lenses for many years. We have many adults wearing orthokeratology lenses.
Does it help vision from getting worse?
Yes! We are excited to finally have a treatment that helps prevent prescription changes. We call this myopia control because the doctor is slowing the rate of progression of the nearsightedness that would normally occur when wearing glasses or daytime contact lenses.
Is Ortho-K safe for children? At what age can a child start ortho-K?
As long a the patient is old enough to confidently wear and care for their lenses then orthokeratology is safe. Our experience is that this usually happens around 8 to 10 years old. We have treated some kids as young as 7 years old if they are motivated.
Some of the younger kids get some help with from their parents to make sure the lenses are worn or cleaned properly.