Consider Orthokeratology if you have refractive defects including astigmatism, farsightedness, or nearsightedness (Ortho-K). When compared to more invasive procedures like refractive surgery, Ortho-K is a less intrusive option for correcting refractive problems. Contact lenses designed specifically for use with Ortho-K are responsible for this.
Schedule an appointment with one of our optometrists to get a diagnosis and discuss your choices for corrective procedures if you suspect you have a refractive issue with your eyes.
So, What Exactly Is Ortho-K (Corneal Reshaping)?
By temporarily altering the shape of your lens and cornea using corneal reshaping contact lenses, Ortho-K is a non-surgical method for correcting refractive problems. Ortho-K contact lenses are rigid, gas-permeable lenses, so they never lose their form. These contact lenses are worn at night during the Ortho-K procedure to gradually reshape the cornea while the patient sleeps.
Although myopia (nearsightedness) is the most common condition treated with Ortho-K, other refractive abnormalities can also benefit from the procedure. Although Ortho-K’s benefits sometimes wear off, they can be kept for good if the treatment is kept up.
What’s the deal with Ortho-K?
Your cornea and lens can be reshaped with the use of a procedure called Ortho-K. The cornea is a dome-shaped transparent window at the front of the eye that directs light onto the retina.
An optometrist will use a device called a corneal topographer to scan and measure your corneal surface before customizing a lens for your eye. The eye’s surface acts as a mirror, reflecting light back onto the retina to generate this map. This is a corneal topography map, which is used to display the curved form of your cornea.
The corneal reshaping lenses alter the way incoming light is curved by flattening the cornea’s central corneal area. Corneal reshaping lenses, which are worn overnight to flatten the cornea, are often removed during the day. A corneal reshaping lens is a hard, gas-permeable lens designed to reshape the cornea while allowing oxygen to the eye.
The cornea remains temporarily flattened even while you’re not using corneal reshaping lenses, allowing you to see clearly without corrective glasses during the day. Refractive errors can be corrected with corrective lenses, but if you stop wearing them at night, your eyes will gradually revert to their pre-corrected form, and you will need to start using them again.
When Will I See the Results From Ortho-K?
According to the best qualified optician optometrist, Ortho-K’s results might change depending on how severe your refractive defect is. Although some people see an improvement in their vision after just one or two nights of Ortho-K, some with more severe refractive errors may need two or more weeks of treatment to achieve their best possible results.
Some patients have visual side effects after Ortho-K therapy, including double vision, glare, and light halos. Additionally, you may need to wear glasses during the Ortho-K procedure; however, the prescription you require will be far lower than it would be without Ortho-K.
Exactly how can Ortho-K prevent Myopia?
Ortho-k lenses gently move tissue from the eye’s centre to its periphery, altering the cornea’s curvature. The signal for the eye to cease expanding is generated by peripheral tissues that generate electricity at the patient’s centre. It has been shown that the use of orthokeratology lenses can slow the progression of myopia by as much as 60 per cent. To correct mild to moderate degrees of myopia and astigmatism, orthokeratology lenses are recommended. Orthokeratology lenses have been proven safe for use by the FDA in both children and adults.
