Ortho-K: An Alternative to Strong Glasses or Contacts
Ortho-K (also referred to as “Corneal Reshaping Lenses”, “Corneal Refractive Therapy” (CRT), and “Gentle Vision Shaping System”) is the use of specially designed cornea molds that are worn during sleep at night to reshape your cornea and temporarily correct nearsightedness so glasses and contact lenses aren’t needed during the day.
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Can Adults Wear Ortho-K Lenses?
YES! If you don’t want the hassle of glasses or contact lenses during the day, adults can wear Ortho-K lenses, too. They are a great alternative to LASIK surgery and will eliminate any problems you may experience with your contact lenses drying out. Since the lenses gently reshape the contours of your corneas as you sleep, so that when you wake and remove the lenses, you can see with optimal clarity. This allows you to go about your daily business with perfect confidence — and without glasses or contacts. The correction can easily last a few days, and you can keep it going indefinitely simply by wearing your Ortho-K lenses to bed as needed. If you stop wearing the Ortho-K lenses, your corneas will return to their natural shape and your vision will become blurry again.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Corneal reshaping managed with ortho-k is not a one-size-fits-all. They differ on a case-by-case basis. Usually, your eye doctor, your optometrists or ophthalmologists, gives you a definite direction after examining your eyes. People who need this corrective procedure usually suffer from mild to moderate myopia. The ortho-k lenses you receive are typically custom designed by your doctor depending on your degree of myopia. Eye doctors usually target 20/20 vision after ortho-k. But even a 20/40 vision which, happens to be the legal minimum for driving in most of the United States is usually considered an acceptable outcome.
What To Expect From Orthokeratology
Once someone has undergone corneal reshaping, they should be able to see sufficiently well without spectacles or contact lenses, say for a day or two after the procedure. But for higher prescriptions, it can take longer even up to two weeks or longer for maximum correction to occur. When ortho-k lenses are worn every night, the results are especially outstanding.
Candidates might notice blurred vision, glare or halos around lights before their eyes are fully corrected. In some cases, they may still require wearing glasses, of course with a lesser prescription than they had initially, while still undergoing the ortho-k process. Some people might still continue to experience halos and mild glare long after maximum ortho-k correction has been achieved.
Is Orthokeratology Safe For You?
Because Orthokeratology result is temporary thus reversible, little risk is involved, and you can discontinue wearing the lenses at any time, as long as you are willing to resume wearing glasses or contacts again when your myopia returns. They are very healthy and comfortable too; no wonder you sleep through the night!
Ask Our Optometrists in Raleigh About Ortho-K
Orthokeratology isn’t a perfect solution for every need. It works best for individuals with mild-to-moderate myopia (nearsightedness) and low amounts of astigmatism. Call Family Eye Care Center at (919) 981-4444 (Raleigh office) for a FREE Consultation with our optometrist to find out whether Ortho-K might be able to grant you lens-free vision correction during the day!