If you find yourself squinting in order to see objects that are farther from you, or you’d like to do away with glasses or contacts, you may want to consider orthokeratology, also known as Ortho-K.

Often referred to as orthodontics for your eyes, the special lenses reshape the surface of your eyes while you sleep to gradually correct nearsightedness and perfect your vision.

Drs. Melanie Frogozo and Swati Kumar and their expert team are pleased to offer orthokeratology at Alamo Eye Care in San Antonio, Texas. Here, we explore the basics of Ortho-K, including how it works and whether you might be a good candidate.
 

How Ortho-K works

Ortho-K reshapes your eyes in a fashion similar to the way braces straighten teeth. And they maintain the results similar to the way retainers maintain dental alignment.

Once you’re fitted for your gas-permeable, rigid prescription contact lenses, you start wearing them each night. Ortho-K lenses reduce the elongation of nearsighted eyes by flattening the center of your cornea and improving the way light is bent as it enters. This leads to improved distance vision.
 

What to expect during Ortho-K treatment

When you first receive your Ortho-K lenses, you’ll likely feel some amount of discomfort in your eyes while you’re falling asleep. Thankfully, though, they don’t cause pain. And over time, they should feel more comfortable.

Within roughly two weeks of wearing Ortho-K lenses, you should have much better vision. You may need a series of three pairs to reach optimum results. Because the improvements will reverse if you stop wearing your lenses, you’ll need to continue wearing your lenses regularly from then on.
 

Good candidates for Ortho-K

If you struggle with nearsightedness or myopia, there’s a good chance you’re a candidate for orthokeratology.

In some cases, Ortho-K lenses are used to slow down the progression of poor vision in children. Kids should not generally have vision-corrective surgery, such as LASIK, since vision continues to change throughout youth. For that reason, Ortho-K can provide a safe alternative.

Ortho-K can also benefit you if you’re bothered by glasses or daytime contacts and either doesn’t wish to have corrective surgery or have been advised to avoid it. You might not be a good candidate if you’re prone to or at high risk for eye infections.

The best way to find out if Ortho-K is a smart option for you is to schedule a consultation at our office. To do so, call Alamo Eye Care at 210-469-9744, text us at 210-403-9050, or request an appointment through our website.