Does Ortho-k Correct Vision Permanently?

Ortho-k is a novel solution to correct your eyesight and reduce your dependence on prescription lenses. Whether relying on eyeglasses or contact lenses, you do not have to undergo surgery to enjoy clear vision. It may sound too good to be true, but it is so. Ortho-k lenses reshape the front surface of your eye, allowing you to see clearly throughout the day.

Still, you’re likely compelled to know if ortho-k lenses correct vision permanently. That depends on several things. You must understand how ortho-k works and the results depending on your age.

How Does Ortho-k Work?

Ortho-k lenses are special gas permeable contact lenses that you wear overnight. As you sleep, they gently reshape the front surface of your eye. After, they allow you to see clearly on the following day without eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Doctors prescribe ortho-k lenses for two reasons.
 

• To correct refractive errors
   

• To slow down the progression of childhood myopia

Correcting Refractive Errors

The type and amount of refractive error that ortho-k lenses correct vary. It temporarily corrects nearsightedness upwards of -6.00 diopters (D). It can also treat lesser degrees of farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia. However, the corneal reshaping effect is temporary.

It has little risk and is reversible when you stop wearing the lenses. They are best for people who work in dusty environments and participate in contact sports. These two environments pose problems for people who wear eyeglasses and contact lenses.

Slow Down Progression of Childhood Myopia

Regular eyeglasses and contacts provide a clear central straight-ahead vision. It causes hyperopic defocus—the introduction of blurring on the peripheral part of the eye. It makes peripheral light rays focus beyond the plane of the retina. The defocus causes the child’s eyes to grow longer progressively, making them more myopic.

Ortho-k lenses create a circular multifocal shape effect on the cornea. They do this by flattening the cornea and restoring vision. Redistribution of cells causes the peripheral part of the cornea to become thicker. It bends more light and refocuses peripheral light rays to the retinal surface. When the light rays refocus, hyperopic defocus and peripheral blur reduces. It also slows down axial elongation.

Reasons to Pick Ortho-k Lenses

Although the effects of ortho-k are not permanent in adults, it can correct vision permanently in children. It prevents worse eye-related health risks as they grow old. These include cataracts, macular degeneration, and retinal detachment. The non-invasive and safe treatment saves parents the cost of replacing eyeglasses and contact lenses.

Conclusion

Ortho-k does not correct vision permanently in adults with refractive errors. The lenses show better promise in children whose eyeballs are still growing. They can reduce hyperopic defocus and peripheral blur, slowing down the axial elongation that makes them more myopic.

Whether you are a child or an adult, the success of ortho-k correcting your vision depends on your discipline. You need to wear your ortho-k lenses every night until your doctor tells you otherwise. If you do not want to use them anymore, be ready for the effects to reverse. You may need to use prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses again.

For more information on whether ortho-k lenses correct vision permanently, visit Planet Vision Eyecare at our office in Lake Worth, Florida. You can call (561) 556-4600 today to schedule an appointment.