Ortho-K lenses FAQs
Ortho K or orthokeratology has been around for a long time. It has gain more awareness recently because of optometry’s focus on myopia management in the last 5 to 10 years. Also because of advancement in technology, the adoption of ortho k has become more wide spread by eyecare practitioners.
We have listed out the commonly asked questions about ortho k here. It may not answer all the questions you have so do feel free to contact us if you have more quesitons.
Ortho-K lenses for Children : Frequently asked questions
Yes, Ortho-K is safe for children when properly managed under the supervision of an eye care professional. It’s FDA-approved and has been widely used for myopia control in children.
Similar to soft contact lenses, there is a risk of eye infection. However, with Ortho-K, you can monitor your children at home while they wear the lenses overnight. This differs from soft contact lenses, where you may not be aware of how your child handles the lenses outside the home. For example, if your child experiences irritation while wearing soft lenses outside, you are not there to supervise whether they wash their hands before removing the lenses or if they remove them properly.
Also, following proper hygiene practices and recommended lens care can significantly reduces the risk of infection in both cases.
Yes, studies have shown that Ortho-K can slow down myopia progression in children.
The effectiveness can vary depending on the individual, so regular monitoring by an optometrist is crucial.
Children as young as 8 years old can start Ortho-K treatment, depending on their eye health and the recommendation of their eye care professional. Besides age, we also consider your child’s maturity and responsibility, as well as their ability to properly care for the lenses.
A comprehensive eye exam is required to determine if your child is suitable for Ortho-K. This exam includes checking your child’s prescription, evaluating the curvature of their eye, and assessing overall eye health. Visit Evershine Optical for a consultation with our optometrist to assess your child’s suitability for Ortho-K.
If your child can’t wear the Ortho-K lenses on their own, you can help with inserting and removing the lenses. If you are worried that your child can’t handle the lenses properly, you can help with cleaning and storing the lenses. As your child wears and manages the lenses more frequently, they will gradually learn to handle them independently.
Wearing Ortho-K lenses is generally not painful, but your child may experience mild discomfort, similar to the feeling of having an eyelash in their eye, especially when they first start using them.
Usually, your child will not need spectacles if Ortho-K is used as directed. However, since Ortho-K is a reversible process, their vision might slightly regress towards the end of the day. If they need very clear vision at the end of the day, they may require a pair of glasses to maintain sharp vision in the late hours.
Improvements in vision can typically be observed after one night of wearing ortho-k lenses, with optimal vision often achieved within a few weeks.
Usually every 1 to 1½ years, depending on the condition of the lenses. Regular replacement is necessary because the lenses can become worn or damaged over time, which can affect their effectiveness, comfort and your child’s eye health. Replacing them ensures optimal vision correction and eye health.
Ortho-K, Stellest, and MiYOSMART are all effective in slowing myopia progression. In our opinion, these 3 methods offer similar levels of effectiveness in controlling myopia.
Ortho-K is usually ideal for children who prefer to be spectacle-free during the day, especially those who are actively engaged in sports or dislike wearing glasses. Additionally, if your child has tried Stellest or MiYOSMART lenses and did not get the desired results, Ortho-K can be an alternative worth considering.
The choice ultimately depends on your child’s lifestyle and personal preferences. Do visit us, and our optometrist will help to determine the best option for your child.
If Ortho-K is not as effective as expected in controlling your child’s myopia, we may recommend alternative treatments. These could include adjusting the Ortho-K lenses, combining Ortho-K with atropine eye drops, or switching to myopia control lenses such as MiYOSMART, Stellest, or MyoCare.
Yes, your child can use atropine eye drops with Ortho-K. Studies have shown that combining both treatments can enhance the efficacy of myopia control.
However, depending on the concentration of atropine your child is using, they may need glasses. If they are using a higher concentration and experience side effects such as sensitivity to light or blurry near vision, they may require glasses even during the day.
At Evershine Optical, we conduct regular follow-ups to assess your child’s eye health, Ortho-K lens condition, and myopia progression. Our optometrist will evaluate their vision and measure the length of their eyeball (axial length) using the ZEISS IOLMaster 500. By closely monitoring axial length, we can effectively manage myopia progression.
Your child can continue with Ortho-K treatment for as long as they wish. Even after their myopia stabilises in their later teenage years, they can still use Ortho-K instead of regular glasses or contact lenses.
It is recommended to wear at least 6 to 8 hours every night. This duration is crucial because it allows enough time for the lenses to gently reshape the cornea effectively. This ensures optimal vision correction throughout the day.
If your child wears the lenses for less than 6-8 hours each night, it can reduce the effectiveness in reshaping your child’s cornea and they may experience less clear vision the following day.
Missing a night of wear can temporarily reduce the effectiveness of Ortho-K treatment and may result in less clear vision the following day. It’s important to resume wearing the lenses as soon as possible. If multiple nights are missed, the vision correction might be less stable and require a few nights of consistent wear to restore.
Ortho-K may help correct high myopia, depending on the severity of the myopia and the steepness of the cornea.
For higher myopia, it will take more days to achieve full vision correction and sometimes may require two lenses to address the condition adequately.
Your child may experience dry eyes, halos, and glares around lights, especially in dim environments, along with increased sensitivity to light and a risk of eye infections. However, unlike adults, children tend to be less sensitive to halos and glares. If they do experience these issues, adjustments can be made to minimize them.
Yes, Ortho-K can correct certain levels of astigmatism in addition to myopia. However, if the astigmatism is too high and the Ortho-K cannot fully correct the astigmatism, your child may need a pair of glasses to correct the remaining astigmatism.
Unlike vision correction surgery (eg, LASIK), the vision improvements from ortho-k are reversible, but can be maintained if your child continues to wear the lenses as directed.
Yes, your child can still undergo vision correction surgery, such as LASIK, in the future after stopping Ortho-K treatment. Since Ortho-K is non-surgical and reversible, it does not permanently alter the eye’s structure, making future surgical options possible once the cornea returns to its natural shape.
Common Questions on Ortho-K for Adults