Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)

Want Freedom from Glasses? Consider Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)!

No glasses. No daytime contact lenses. Protection from your eyesight and prescription worsening. No surgery. Read on!

What is Orthokeratology (OrthoK)?

Orthokeratology, also known as OrthoK, is where you wear a contact lens at night-time to correct your vision. As you sleep, the contact lens reshapes your cornea safely to correct your vision problems so that when you wake up, your vision is perfect during the day.

OrthoK is a safe, non-invasive vision correction method that gives clear vision without the need for you to wear glasses, contact lenses during the day, or refractive eye surgery.
According to some of the best research in the eyecare field, it is also one of the most effective ways to protect eyes with short-sightedness (myopia) and astigmatism (myopia) from worsening.

It gives you the freedom to be able to swim and surf, work in dusty or air-conditioned environments, and be glasses-free without worrying about dry or irritated eyes that some can experience with daytime contact lenses. It also can be used whether your vision is stable or still changing. OrthoK is completely reversible, unlike laser surgery.

How does OrthoK work?

OrthoK uses small contact lenses that are customised to fix your eyesight prescription which gently reshape your cornea (the clear, front surface of your eye) as you sleep (ideally, for 6 to 8 hours) to correct your vision problems. This gives you a clear vision during the whole day. The contact lens works as a retainer to fix eyesight problems in a similar way to an orthodontic retainer or dental plate for your teeth.

Who is suitable for OrthoK?

Almost all prescriptions and almost all ages are eligible for OrthoK. Your optometrist will need to perform an initial assessment to ensure the OrthoK will be effective for you as the lenses are customised to fit your eye specifically. This involves a scan with a corneal topographer to map the shape of your eyes. As with any contact lens, and even with no contact lenses, in rare cases, it can be possible for risk of eye infections. If you follow the safety and hygiene instructions provided by your optometrist, this risk is very minimal. Studies have found that the risk of eye infections in children wearing OrthoK is no greater than in adults, in which the risk is 1 infection in every 1,000 years of wearing the lenses every night.

How does OrthoK protect my eyesight from worsening?

Research has found that OrthoK is an effective method of slowing down and stabilising the progression of myopia in children by 50-100%.1 It is also very suitable for adults. OrthoK lenses temporarily reshape your cornea to achieve clear vision, in the same way that light is refocused to the correct shape just like in your glasses.