Are You a Candidate for Ortho K?

Are You a Candidate for Ortho K?

Refractive eye problems are some of the most common issues to affect our eyes and vision. They occur when light isn’t refracted properly by the eyes, meaning that the message sent from our eyes to the brain is mixed up, resulting in blurred vision. Most people know refractive eye errors better by names such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.


Most people who have refractive eye errors rely on prescription lenses to correct their vision – either in the form of glasses or contact lenses. These can become frustrating, especially if your lifestyle means that you’d particularly benefit from clear vision without them (such as if you are an athlete and find it hard to wear glasses or contacts during your chosen sport). Myopia is also a progressive condition, which means that you could find your vision worsening over time. Fortunately, there is another option – Ortho K. 

What is Ortho K?

Ortho K, also known as orthokeratology, is a new innovation for tackling the progression of myopia and enabling patients to see clearly without prescription lenses being worn during the day. Ortho K uses specially-designed, bespoke contact lenses that are worn overnight and reshape your cornea while you sleep. The lenses themselves are gas-permeable, allowing oxygen to pass through them and keep the surface of your eyes hydrated and comfortable. 

As you sleep, the lenses apply gentle pressure to the cornea to reshape it. Your eyes can then retain this shape for a number of hours after you wake and remove them, enabling you to go about your daily life without wearing prescription lenses. 

Most patients will need to wear their Ortho K lenses every night for around a week in order to achieve optimal clarity of vision for the entire duration of the day. However, some patients don’t even need to wear the lenses every night and can achieve relatively normal vision by wearing the lenses overnight just a few nights per week. If you want to stop treatment, you can do so straight away and within a few days, your vision should return to how it was before.

Am I a good candidate for Ortho K?

Before you can get started with Ortho K treatment, you’ll first need to find out if you are a good candidate. Your provider will assess you based on a range of factors. Typically, people who are good candidates for Ortho K:
 

• Have a mild to moderate refractive eye error (your provider will check whether you fall within the specific parameters). This could be nearsightedness or farsightedness. 
   

• Are frustrated or find it difficult to wear prescription lenses during the day. 
   

• Would like laser vision correction but aren’t suitable candidates for any of the techniques.
   

• Would like the benefits of laser vision correction, but without the surgery. 
   

• Are physically active and can’t wear glasses or contact lenses during their chosen sport. 
  
   

Ortho K is also suitable for children and is often recommended as an effective treatment for slowing the progression of myopia and helping them to avoid high myopia in later life. This is important since high myopia has been linked to a range of potentially serious eye conditions including glaucoma, cataracts, and retinal detachment. Each of these can have severe consequences for your long-term vision. 

To find out if you are a good candidate for Ortho K, please contact Claremore Eye Associates in Claremore, OK at (918) 233-3319 to schedule a consultation today!