How Does Ortho K Control Myopia?

If you have been diagnosed as being nearsighted, you have a very common eye condition called myopia. Myopia is the most common refractive eye error in the world and is currently estimated to affect around 30% of the population of the United States.


Although not considered to be especially serious, it can dramatically change the quality of your vision so that you require corrective lenses to be able to see clearly. Since myopia is a progressive condition, people with the condition must start treatment to control it as soon as possible. This is because the worse your vision gets, the more likely you are to experience other complications too. One of the most popular treatments for controlling myopia is known as Ortho K. 

Here’s what you need to know about myopia and how Ortho K treatment can help. 

What Causes Myopia?

People who have myopia can see nearby objects, such as a book clearly, but those that are further away appear blurred. The greater distance they are away, the blurrier they become. If you have myopia, you can probably read a book or use your smartphone without needing prescription lenses, but struggle to read road signs or see the faces of people who are on the other side of a large room. 

Although myopia can develop at any age, it most often starts to occur in childhood, when the eyeball grows too quickly in comparison to the focusing power of the lens of the eye. However, this can happen again in adulthood, causing someone to become suddenly myopic. Genetics, environment and the characteristics of each individual can all contribute towards this excessive growth. For example, adult-onset myopia can be a result of an adaptation to fatigued eye focusing muscles due to an increase in time spent using screens. 

Myopia can be corrected using prescription lenses in either glasses or contact lenses. Alternatively, many patients who are considered suitable choose to have their vision permanently altered using laser vision correction. 

The Importance of Myopia Control

Although myopia itself isn’t dangerous, just inconvenient, people who go on to develop high myopia are also more at risk of developing much more serious eye problems. These include macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts and retinal detachment. Some of these can result in permanent vision loss. 

How Does Ortho-K Control Myopia?

Ortho-K is an innovative contact-lens based treatment that is proven to slow the progression of myopia, and is suitable for people of all ages, including children. Ortho-K lenses are bespoke contact lenses made from rigid, gas-permeable material (RGP) that makes them both stable on the surface of the eye and able to maintain its shape well. This is critical since these customized contact lenses are designed specifically to alter the shape of the cornea of the patient wearing them, manipulating it into a more regular dome that refracts light correctly onto the retina. In doing so, these lenses correct the vision of the wearer. However, unlike regular contact lenses, Ortho-K lenses are worn overnight, reshaping your eyes while you sleep.

One of the unique advantages of Ortho-K lenses is that when you remove your lenses the next morning (and pop them in the provided container with cleaning solution to ensure that they remain hygienic and in excellent condition) your eyes can retain their new shape for some time before returning to their original position. This means that you can see clearly without the need for prescription lenses during this time. With consistent use, patients can achieve up to 24 hours of clear vision without prescription eyewear. 

Ortho-K treatment can be stopped at any time simply by no longer wearing your bespoke contact lenses. Within the space of a few days, your vision will return to its pre-Ortho-K quality. With proper use, Ortho-K can slow myopic progression by as much as 36-56% when compared to using just glasses or contact lenses. 

If you would like more information about how Ortho-K treatment works, or to find out if you are a suitable candidate for this transformative solution, visit Parkside Eye Care in Cary, NC. Call (919) 883-9987 to schedule an appointment today.