Orthokeratology, also known as ‘ortho-k’, is a way to treat nearsightedness (myopia) by wearing stiff gas permeable contact lenses overnight. This means that you won’t need glasses or contacts during the day.

Specialised gas permeable (GP) glasses for ortho-k are put in at bedtime and worn while you sleep. During the night, the lenses slowly change the shape of your cornea so that your vision is clear when you wake up. The fix is only brief, and the person shouldn’t need glasses or contacts for the next day or two. You have to wear the ortho-k reshaping glasses every night if you want to keep your eyesight clear every day.

The FDA has cleared three brands of orthokeratology contact lenses for use right now. Euclid Emerald, which is generally given to treat myopia, “Corneal Refractive Therapy” (CRT) by Paragon Vision Sciences, and “Vision Shaping Treatment” (VST) by Bausch and Lomb.

Candidates for Ortho-K

Ortho-k works well for nearsighted people who are not good candidates for surgery to fix their vision, like children. People of all ages who have healthy eyes can try ortho-k, because it can be stopped at any time without hurting the eyes in a lasting way.

People who need to fix their vision and play sports often or work in places that are very dusty and dirty will also find ortho-k useful.

.

Vision Results from Ortho-k

Most of the time, ortho-k works better for people with less severe eye problems. The best goal is for people to be able to see 20/20 without glasses or contacts during the day.

Based on tests done by the FDA on both CRT and VST lenses, more than 65% of ortho-k patients got 20/20 vision. More than 90% of ortho-k patients got vision of 20/40 or better, which is what most states require to let people drive without glasses or contacts. Talk to your eye doctor to find out if your prescription for glasses or contacts is close enough for ortho-k to work.

Even though most people notice an improvement in their vision after wearing ortho-k lenses overnight, the full benefits may not be felt until the lenses have been worn for a few weeks. During this time, your vision may not be as clear as it was when you wore normal contacts or glasses. You may also see glare or halos around lights. Until ortho-k works completely, you may need a temporary pair of glasses for certain things, like driving at night.

How Does Ortho-k Feel?

Although some people have trouble wearing regular gas permeable contact lenses during the day, ortho-k GP lenses are worn while sleeping – so discomfort and awareness of the lenses in your eyes is generally not an issue.

Is Ortho-k expensive?

Professional fitting for ortho-k requires a series of visits to your eye doctor. A number of pairs of contact lenses are also generally needed. GP lenses that are special for ortho-k are more costly than standard contacts. In sum, the fees for ortho-k add up to a higher total than regular contact lenses.

LASIK after Ortho-k

Refractive surgeries, such as LASIK, are possible after treatment with ortho-k lenses. Yet because ortho-k works to reshape your cornea, you are required to stop wearing the lenses for approximately several months before undergoing LASIK. This allows your eyes to return to their original shape.

It’s important to inform your LASIK surgeon if you’ve been wearing ortho-k lenses, and you will be advised as to how long of a wait is necessary before having the laser procedure.