What is Ortho-K?

Are you tired of wearing glasses or contact lenses, but aren't interested in or aren't eligible for LASIK eye surgery? If so, our St Johnsbury, Montpelier, and Lancaster optometrist team may have a valuable solution for you: Ortho-K. 

The Lowdown on Ortho-K: Who It's For & How It Works

Orthokeratology, also known as Ortho-K, is a vision correction treatment that has been growing in popularity. Here's a basic rundown of how it works:

1. You consult with an optometrist near you and get fitted for Ortho-K contact lenses.
2. You wear these lenses only at night as you sleep. 
3. These lenses temporarily re-shape the surface of your corneas, to improve their symmetry and shape. 
4. This re-shaping effect corrects the refraction of light as it enters your eyes, so that light focuses correctly on your retinas. 
5. When you wake up in the morning and remove your Ortho-K lenses, you can go about the following day with clear vision without having to wear corrective eyewear. This means you can say goodbye to the headaches over losing your contact lenses or forgetting your eyeglasses!

Understandably, many people find Ortho-K technology desirable if they want to avoid wearing glasses or contact lenses during daily activities. This is especially true for patients who are involved in certain sports or occupational tasks that expose them to various environmental hazards (e.g., airborne debris, chemicals, etc.) which may impair the effectiveness of corrective eyewear. 

So, is it right for you? Ortho-K technology has been approved for use in both children and adults with myopia (nearsightedness), astigmatism, presbyopia (age-related nearsightedness), and more recently hyperopia (farsightedness). Keep in mind that your Ortho-K lenses will work the most effective if you wear them regularly. Our optometrist team can carefully go over all your questions about this and other vision-correcting solutions to make sure we've settled on the best one to fit your needs. 

Call Shippee Family Eye Care Today!

If you've been dreaming about clear vision without the reliance on your glasses or contacts, but aren't ready or willing to invest in LASIK surgery, then orthokeratology may be the perfect affordable alternative. Call one of our office numbers below to get in touch with an experienced and attentive eye doctor in your area:

• 603-788-3561 for Lancaster
• 802-748-3536 for St Johnsbury
• 802-223-7723 for Montpelier