Orthokeratology

No. OrthoK has been performed for decades.

OrthoK is an area of specialty within Optometry. We are proudly one of only a few members in the area who are a part of the American Academy of Orthokeratology & Myopia Control. As members of the AAOMC, we are informed of the latest advancements and research world-wide. In addition, we are a part of an international google group which allows members to speak daily concerning the latest news and allows us to be a resource for each other.

Not all eyecare providers have chosen to dedicate themselves to this specialty, which unfortunately has led to misinformation and/or poor results with this amazing treatment. Due to lack of knowledge, it is often not given as an option of treatment if a provider does not perform OrthoK. Within our own practice, we had been limited to certain prescriptions, therefore we could not provide it as an option of correction for all patients in the past. With recent advances we now are able to offer OrthoK to a patients who are nearsighted, farsighted, astigmatism and presbyopia.

Not all patients will be candidates for OrthoK. However, as a WAVE certified doctor, we use a special software program to design customizable lenses for each patient. This allows us to design lenses for low prescriptions, but also high myopia, astigmatism, hyperopia and astigmatism.

OrthoK has shown to be a safe method of treatment. Studies have shown the rate of infection with OrthoK is similar to other modalities of contact lens wear.

The majority of patients are aware of the lenses for the first several nights before the eyes are closed. Comfort greatly improves even on the first night as soon as the eyes are closed to go to sleep. Because the lenses are worn only while sleeping, adaption to lens comfort is generally achieved within the first several weeks of wear.

Because of the reversibility of OrthoK and the results of myopia control, performing OrthoK in children will allow them to be candidates for other corrective procedures in the future which they may have been excluded from if they continue to have a high myopic progression.

The entire program which includes your professional services and your retainer lens starts as low as $900 per eye.

Yes, we accept Care Credit which offers 6 and 12 month, no interest financing.

Call our office at 321-724-2020 and our staff will schedule you for an exam. Please inform them you are interested in OrthoK. The doctor will perform a comprehensive exam and speak with you concerning OrthoK and all options available.

• LORIC (Long Term Ortho-K Research In Children)

• CLAMP (Contact Lens And Myopia Progression)

• COMET (Correction of Myopia Evaluation Trial)

• CRAYON (Corneal Reshaping and Yearly Observation of Nearsightedness)

• COOKI (Children's Overnight Orthokeratology Investigation)

• SMART (Stabilization of Myopia through Accelerated Reshaping Technologies)

• CANDY (Controlling Astigmatism and Nearsightedness in Developing Youth)

By definition, myopia is a visual defect in which distant objects appear blurred because their images are focused in front of the retina rather than on it.

Glasses, soft contact lenses, gas permeable contact lenses, Lasik, and Orthokeratology.

Myopia is not just blur, myopia can lead to blindness. Besides the extreme distance blur patients with myopia experience, the more myopic a patient becomes the more the eyeball length increases. This eye length changes put a patient at risk for retinal detachments which at the least leads to a permanent visual field defect and at worst leads to blindness. In addition, the elongated eye can lead to additional retinal diseases and glaucoma.

There is a lot of research currently being performed in this area. Currently Orthokeratology and atropine drop use are showing the best results in slowing or stopping the progression of myopia

Current research shows optical defocus in the periphery is the reason myopia is increasing. Because OrthoK refocuses both the central and peripheral light rays on the retina (which is not accomplished through daily glasses and contact lens wear) there is less encouragement for the eyeball length to continue to grow which reduces the risk of increased myopia.

Because OrthoK lenses are only worn at night and corrects a patient's prescription while sleeping, a patient is able to achieve clear daytime vision without having to wear glasses or contact lenses. This is an advantage for all patients, but especially active patients, athletes, and patients active with water sports.