With ortho-k contact lenses, you can have your vision corrected while you sleep, meaning you don’t need to wear glasses or contact lenses during the day. If you’re looking for a risk-free alternative to laser eye surgery, Ortho-k could be perfect for you. Here at Petts Woods Eyecare, we are proud to be the only practice in the area offering this service.

What is Ortho-k?

Ortho-k stands for orthokeratology. It is a special type of contact lens that you wear overnight while you sleep, eliminating the need for vision correction during the day. Ortho-k is suitable for people who are short-sighted, also known as myopic, and can be used by both children and adults.

How does Ortho-K work?

Short-sightedness is caused by the eye or the cornea at the front of the eye being misshapen. The eye may be too long, slightly oval-shaped, or the cornea can be too curved. This results in light focussing on a point in front of the retina instead of on the retina, causing blurred vision when focussing on near objects.

Ortho-k lenses do all their work overnight while you are asleep. They work by gently reshaping the curve of your eye, bringing your vision into the correct focus. When you wake in the morning and remove the lenses, it is as if you are no longer short-sighted. The effect the lenses have lasts through the day, meaning you can go about your day with great vision.

Advantages of Ortho-K

Most of the advantages of ortho-k lenses are obvious. Who doesn’t want to ditch their glasses or contacts for the day? Laser eye surgery is another option but that comes with its own risks, so a solution that is risk-free and fully reversible is advantageous.

If you have worn glasses, you will know how annoying they can be at times. They steam up, they slide down your nose, and the lenses get dirty. If you’re exercising or playing sports, glasses can be a real hindrance. Being able to go without glasses all day can be freeing.

When it comes to treating children, ortho-k lenses have been shown to slow the progression of myopia, reducing the risk of related eye problems in later life. More children are becoming myopic at a younger age, so using vision correction that can also slow the progression has a great advantage.

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