Nearsightedness, or myopia, is the most common refractive eye condition in the world. Patients with myopia can see objects held close to their faces clearly but find that their vision is blurred when they try to look at things that are further away. This may not sound serious, but patients with severe myopia may find that it has a detrimental impact on their ability to function day today. Eyeglasses and contacts with prescription lenses can correct your vision, but many people find that they interfere with their lives too. Remembering to take glasses everywhere that you go can be inconvenient and wearing them while participating in some activities is completely impossible. Meanwhile, contact lenses aren’t suitable for every patient, particularly those with corneal irregularities or allergies.

Fortunately, there is another option for patients who don’t want to rely on glasses or contact lenses, but who also don’t want to undergo permanent, laser vision correction. It is known as orthokeratology.

What Is Orthokeratology?

Orthokeratology, or Ortho K, is an FDA approved treatment for myopia and other refractive eye conditions. It works using specially-designed lenses that are worn overnight and gently reshape the cornea whilst you sleep. This reshaping is only temporary, but once the treatment is firmly established, the cornea is reshaped for long enough for patients to be able to see clearly (20/20 vision or close to it) without glasses or contact lenses for an entire day at a time.

Ortho K lenses are made from gas-permeable material which makes them safe to be worn overnight without worrying about your eyes not receiving enough oxygen to keep them healthy. The effects of Ortho K are only temporary, so if you stop wearing your lenses for more than a couple of nights, you will start to see the quality of your vision decrease.

You may hear Ortho K referred to as corneal reshaping lenses or myopia control lenses. The latter is because studies have found that consistent use of Ortho K lenses can actually slow the progression of childhood myopia, reducing the risks that the patient will experience myopia-related eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration in the future.

Am I A Good Candidate For Ortho K?

One of the best things about Ortho K is the wide variety of different groups of people who can benefit from this effective treatment. People who are typically considered to be good candidates for Ortho K are:

• Nearsighted (myopia)

• Farsighted (hyperopia)

• Astigmatic (corneas shaped like footballs instead of soccer balls)

• Over the age of 40 and need different prescriptions for near and far sight

• Children who have been diagnosed with myopia

• Those people who want to be able to see clearly without contact lenses or glasses

• Unable to wear conventional contact lenses

• Not good candidates for laser vision correction procedures

• Seeking a reversible solution

We will be delighted to assess your suitability for Ortho K during a confidential consultation.

We are delighted to be able to offer Ortho K treatment to our patients. To find out more about how orthokeratology can improve your vision, or arrange a consultation, please get in touch with our dedicated and knowledgeable optical care team at Advanced EyeCare Center in Perry, GA by calling (478) 412-4200.