What is Ortho K?
Ortho K has been practiced for over 50 years and when fitted and worn correctly has a very low rate of complications.
The Ortho K Consultation
Your journey to becoming free from glasses or daytime contact lenses starts with a consultation with one of our optometrists. During this Ortho K appointment we use state of the art Corneal Topography (mapping) technology to measure the exact shape of your cornea.
Glasses or contact lenses are not the only option to correct your vision that is affected by astigmatism or myopia. Ortho K lenses were designed and created for you to wear as you sleep. This allows the ortho k lens to shape the surface of your eyes for you to see better the morning after without having to wear regular glasses or contact lenses.
If you are a parent and your kid was diagnosed with astigmatism or myopia at an early age, consider booking an ortho k consultation. The earlier it is, the higher the chances of slowing down the progression.
By mapping the surface of your eye, we can then tailor the Ortho K lens specifically for you, creating a bespoke lens which will gently reshape the cornea with the aim of achieving maximum improvement of your vision.
When your lenses have been produced, we will fit them in the consult room and take further measurements to ensure the perfect fit and refraction has been achieved.
We will show you how to wear your lenses and to care for them so you will be fully confident after your Ortho K consultation with us.
When you are comfortable with inserting, wearing and removing the Ortho K lens on your own, you can wear the lens overnight.
The lens will immediately start to reshape your cornea while you sleep. You will be required to come in the next morning so we can assess the amount of improvement to your vision.
Some people have significantly improved vision at this stage, so prepare to be amazed!
A second appointment will be required after one week to ensure there is continued improvement in your vision. We will perform further corneal mapping of your eye in order to assess the quality of improvement and effectiveness of the reshaping.
By this point your vision will have improved significantly.
We will advise you if further consultations are required and when you will need to come in again for further reassessment.
Am I Suitable for Ortho K?
If you are interested in your suitability for Ortho K, it is recommended that you call one of our clinics to book in for an Ortho K Assessment, which will be 30-45 minutes. During this assessment, the Orthokeratologist will evaluate your glasses prescription, map your cornea (topography) and check that your eyes are healthy and suitable for Ortho K.
Although there are exceptions, generally Ortho K can work for prescriptions up to -6.00 and astigmatism of up to -3.00. Again, this varies greatly upon the other parameters of the eye and prescription.
Ortho K also can correct lesser degrees of astigmatism, hyperopia and presbyopia. It is important to realise that each patient (and each eye) is different – the type and amount of refractive error that can be effectively managed with Ortho K will be treated on a case-by-case basis.
There is a very high chance you will be a great candidate for Ortho K so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like clarification or more information.
Is Orthokeratology covered by Insurance?
You may wonder “is orthokeratology covered by insurance?”
The answer to this depends on your healthcare provider.
The total expense for ortho k would depend on your optical coverage. To answer the question, “is orthokeratology covered by insurance?”, it is best to check with your healthcare provider of the coverage you are entitled to.
How does Ortho K work?
Wearing eye glasses or contact lenses during the day may not be for everyone and can become quite an inconvenience. This may be for the reason of lifestyle, daily and work activities. Imagine being an athlete or maybe even a photographer but have myopia or be nearsighted? Having this can be challenging which makes Ortho K a great option to treat and address Myopia.
Ortho K was designed to improve one’s vision, particularly nearsightedness through the use of a special kind of contact lenses that is worn during sleep to alter and change the shape of the cornea. It has been recorded by the FDA that 65% of those who have undergone ortho k treatment were able to achieve a 20/20 vision during the day. On the other hand, more than 90% have been recorded to have improved vision by 20/40. This is an impressive result for a treatment that is not invasive. As a result of wearing ortho k lenses overnight, it is expected to see an improvement in vision by the 2nd or 3rd night.
To go through the process of having ortho k treatment, a patient must be evaluated by an eye care medical professional. Once the necessary tests and evaluation have been completed and deemed fit for ortho k treatment, the lens will be fitted using a wavefront device that allows one’s cornea to be mapped out and measured.
Since this is a form of treatment that poses very minimal risk, Ortho K can be prescribed for both children and adults with myopia or astigmatism. Ortho k contact lenses, unlike regular and fashion contact lenses do not need to be taken off when asleep, in fact the opposite. This makes it safer even for little kids who were diagnosed with myopia at a young age and wish to slow the progression of the condition.
To know more about the treatment and to consult with a medical eye professional, schedule an appointment with us today.