Achieve Clear Vision with Ortho-K in Rockville
Picture a reality where you wake up with perfect vision each day, achieved through a safe, non-invasive, and completely reversible approach. It is possible with ortho-k lenses from Shady Grove Eye and Vision Care in Rockville.
Orthokeratology, or ortho-k, is a non-surgical vision correction method that involves wearing specially designed gas-permeable contact lenses overnight. These lenses gently reshape the cornea, which corrects common refractive errors like myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism. The result is improved vision during the day without glasses or contact lenses.
Currently, three FDA-approved brands offer ortho-k lenses: Euclid Emerald, Paragon Vision Sciences' Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT), and Bausch and Lomb's Vision Shaping Treatment (VST).
You can learn more about gas-permeable lenses here.
This improves vision in children and young adults whose myopia hasn’t stabilized yet and reduces the risk of high myopia-related eye diseases later in life. Regular monitoring is essential to ensure the effectiveness of ortho-k in myopia control.
Ortho-K Lenses & Myopia Management
In myopia management, ortho-k is used as an innovative approach to decrease the rate at which myopia develops. It involves wearing specially designed gas-permeable contact lenses overnight to reshape the cornea.
Ortho-k lenses flatten the central cornea, allowing light to be focused more accurately on the retina at the back of the eye. They're also designed to create a controlled peripheral defocus, meaning they slightly shift the focus of peripheral light rays in front of the retina. This peripheral defocus is believed to send signals to the eye that trigger a slowing down of the eye's axial elongation (lengthening), a critical factor in myopia progression.
The Ortho-K Process: What To Expect
Before you start your ortho-k journey, you should understand the process. Here’s what you can expect:
- Consultation: One of our eye doctors will assess your eye health, discuss your vision needs, and determine if you are a suitable candidate.
- Customized Lens Fitting: If ortho-k is a suitable option for you, our eye doctor will measure the shape and size of your cornea for a custom fit.
- Lens Prescription: Based on the measurements and your vision prescription, specialized ortho-k lenses will be prescribed.
- Lens Insertion and Removal Training: Our eye doctors teach you how to insert and remove your ortho-k lenses to ensure proper insertion and storage.
- Nighttime Wear: These contacts are worn overnight while you sleep.
- Daytime Clarity: Upon waking, you’ll experience improved vision throughout the day without needing glasses or daytime contact lenses. It may take a few days or weeks for your vision to stabilize.
7. Regular Follow-Up Visits: Request regular follow-up appointments to monitor your progress and ensure the lenses work. Adjustments will be made during these appointments to ensure optimal results.
8. Maintenance: Clean and disinfect your overnight lenses daily to prevent infection and ensure longevity.
- Safety: Ortho-k is safe when fitted and maintained correctly. Follow your eye doctor’s instructions, attend regular check-ups, and address discomfort or issues.
- LASIK: If you plan to undergo LASIK, you should stop wearing ortho-k lenses for several months to allow your cornea to return to its original shape. Inform your eye surgeon so they can guide you.
Insights for Ortho-K Lens Wearers
Keep the following factors in mind regarding ortho-k lenses:
- Unmatched Comfort: Unlike traditional GP lenses worn during the day, which can cause discomfort, ortho-k lenses are worn during sleep, minimizing the likelihood of such issues.
- Ortho-K Contacts Price: These lenses require professional fitting, multiple visits to your eye doctor, and the purchase of several pairs of specialized lenses, making them costlier than standard contacts. However, they last longer, which offsets the initial cost.
- Compliance is Crucial: You should wear the lenses every night to maintain clear vision during the day. If you skip a night, you may experience vision regression since the effects are temporary.
Ideal Candidates for Ortho-K
Ortho-k is a fantastic option for people of all ages, especially people with the following traits:
- Good overall eye health
- Refractive errors like myopia
- Children and young adults whose myopia is yet to stabilize
- Swimmers and people with active lifestyles
- Dry eye patients
- People who work in windy, dusty, or hazardous environments
- Contact lens intolerance
- Committed to compliance
- People who aren’t ideal LASIK candidates or need an alternative
