Ortho-K

This sounds too good to be true doesn't it!!!

Wear your contact lenses at night, remove them in the morning and there is no need for glasses or contacts throughout the day. "How does it work?" I hear you ask. Well Ortho-K is a cornea flattening treatment for short-sightedness (myopia) where specifically shaped rigid contact lenses are used to remould the cornea into a flatter shape. The shape change is only temporary so the lenses have to be worn every night, this treatment is not a "cure" - if the lenses are not worn then the myopia will return.

Before treatment

After treatment. Note the marked area of flattening centrally where the lens has treated the shortsightedness by gently flattening the corneal shape.

Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) lenses are worn for six hours nightly. This is sufficient to reshape/mould the cornea into a flatter shape (see images to the right). The flattening of the cornea effectively makes it more long-sighted, therefore reducing the level of myopia to zero.

This effect lasts for between 24 & 48 hours in the successful wearer giving you crisp clear vision throughout the day glasses and contact lens free.

It is particularly beneficial for those active contact lens wearers who cannot swim or play sport in their lenses or for those who have difficulty with eye dryness and contact lenses.

Not all of the cornea is treated and depending on the prescription the treatment zone (the area of the cornea which is treated) may be insufficient to correct all of the myopia. Therefore, Ortho-K is not for everybody. A prescription above -4.50 or with significant astigmatism may be unsuitable.

An image showing an ortho-k lens on the eye. You can clearly see the area with which pressure is being applied to the cornea for treatment by the fluorescent ring encircling the pupil. This is the treatment zone.

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Ortho-K is currently under significant scientific scrutiny throughout the globe as it has long been known, anecdotally, that the treatment stops the wearers from progressing to higher shortsighted prescriptions. We currently believe that the stimulus for the eye to grow and become more short sighted is removed by the corneal shape changes that occur during Ortho-K wear. See our section on Myopia Progression for more details.

Because of this we are recommending that parents with myopic children look into this further as they could benefit greatly from this treatment.

What are the risks?

The risks associated with Ortho-K are no greater than other forms of contact lens wear. However all contact lens wear slightly increases the risk of infection of the cornea which can result in the loss of best corrected vision. The risks are generally lower in RGP lens wear than soft lens wear and early treatment will usually prevent any loss of vision.

Book a consultation to see if you are eligible for this revolutionary way of wearing you contact lenses.