Orthokeratology, also referred to as Ortho-K or Corneal Reshaping Technique (CRT), is a non-surgical therapy for temporarily reducing nearsightedness.  Specialty lenses are worn at night to change the shape and curvature of the cornea and eliminate the need for glasses the next day.

Many people compare sleeping in Ortho-K lenses to wearing a dental retainer to maintain teeth alignment.  The lenses gently reshape the cornea through the night so that during the day, individuals can experience clear distance vision all day long without the need of glasses or contact lenses.  Patients who use the reshaping lenses often experienced improved vision after the first night of wear; however, it may take a few weeks to achieve consistent vision that last all day long.

The prime candidates for Orthokeratology include:

• nearsighted individuals under 40
• correction under -5.50 diopters
• patients who have poor results wearing contact lenses or glasses
• athletes or active individuals
• children with early developing nearsightedness

Children are especially successful with corneal reshaping and studies have shown a decrease or slowing progression of near sightedness when using Ortho-K lenses. 

Orthokeratology provides an alternative to surgical procedures such as LASIK or PRK that can be expensive and permanently change the shape of the cornea.  Corrective surgery is also not recommended for patients under 21 or whose vision is still changing.   Orthokeratology allows young adults and children to have clear vision without glasses or surgery.

For more information about Orthokeratology and corneal reshaping visit the Salt Lake Clinic site by clicking here (Link to http://bit.ly/SLC-ortho-k)