Ortho-K Specialist

What is Ortho-K?

Orthokeratology, or Ortho-K, is a gentle, nonsurgical technique used to reshape the cornea using specially designed therapeutic contact lenses. Dr. Amin and Dr. Hardy typically recommend this safe and effective treatment for visual problems that include:

• Nearsightedness
• Farsightedness
• Astigmatism
• Presbyopia, or blurred near vision

Ortho-K’s advanced approach changes the way your cornea refracts light and is an alternative to PRK or LASIK surgery, the two standard surgeries used to correct vision problems.

How does the cornea work?

Your cornea is a transparent, spherical bulge sitting over the lens of your eye. Your cornea not only protects the inner parts of your eye, but it also performs tasks that affect your vision.

The shape of your cornea causes light entering your eye to be refracted, or bent. This bending of light enables your lens to focus the light into sharp, clear images before they pass to your retina and optic nerve. Your optic nerve transmits the image to your brain.

When your cornea changes shape, it affects how incoming light is refracted. These changes lead to fuzzy images, the common symptoms of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Prescription glasses and contact lenses correct these visual disturbances by curving the light before it comes into your eye to compensate for your corneal deformation.

How does Ortho-K work?

Unlike laser surgery that surgically reshapes your cornea, Ortho-K reshapes your cornea with specially created contact lenses.

Each night, you put your custom-made Ortho-K contacts in at bedtime. While you sleep, the lenses perform subtle corneal reshaping. In the morning when you wake up, you remove your Ortho-K lenses and enjoy perfect or near-perfect vision.

In most cases, Ortho-K can help you see clearly for one or two days at a time, and sometimes even longer. By wearing these specially made contacts while you sleep, you can maintain your vision during your waking hours.

One of the advantages of Ortho-K is that it’s completely reversible. If you decide to stop wearing Ortho-K lenses, your corneas will return to their previous shape.

To see if you’re a good candidate for Ortho-K, call Advanced Vision & Achievement Center or schedule an appointment online today.