Orthokeratology (Ortho-K/OK lens) is the fitting of special customised gas-permeable contact lenses you wear overnight. While you are asleep, the lenses gently reshape the front surface of your eye (cornea) so you can see clearly the following day after you remove the lenses when you wake up.
Orthokeratology can be a good option for adults who want an alternative to eyeglasses, refractive surgery, and especially those who experience dry eyes with soft contact lenses.
But orthokeratology lenses are not only for adults. Ortho-K lenses are widely used for myopia control in children who have progressive myopia. Many studies have also shown the effectiveness of these lenses in controlling and stabilising myopia in children. It also allows children who do not tolerate glasses well or have an active lifestyle to be glasses-free throughout the day while having myopia control present at the same time.
Orthokeratology lenses are suitable for:
- Those who have mild and rapid progressive myopia* (with or without mild astigmatism), up to -8.00Ds of myopia & -2.00Ds of astigmatism. The golden age to best control myopia is between ages 6 to 12 years old when the progression of myopia is most significant.
- Children and adults in Singapore who want to be spectacles-free, unsuitable for LASIK or for other reasons often are good candidates for Ortho-K lenses.
- Sporty individuals or people working in dusty environments who may have difficulty wearing contact lenses are also good candidates.
*Please note: A pre-OK assessment is required before we determine the suitability of OK lenses on the patient.
Generally, Ortho-K lenses help reshape your cornea, which is the part of your eye that focuses light onto the retina so that you can focus on the intended object.
Before giving you Ortho-K lenses, our optometrists in Singapore will measure the surface of your cornea, using a corneal topographer. This way, you can get specially fitted OK lenses for your eyes.
Once you’ve got your very own OK lenses, you can use them overnight and then remove them during the day. At night, these lenses work by reshaping the centre of your cornea. As a result, it changes how the light is bent as it enters your eyes. Once these lenses are removed, your cornea will retain the new shape, so you don’t have to wear corrective lenses during the day.
However, if you stop wearing the OK lenses at night, your eyes will eventually return to their original shape, along with their refractive errors.
One of the benefits of using Ortho-K is that it can correct myopia and astigmatism for children and adults. Additionally, it eliminates the need for glasses or contact lenses during the day, making it a convenient solution for clearer vision.
With Ortho-K lenses, you don’t have to worry about surgical risk or downtime. This is a non-surgical solution to reshape your cornea, unlike LASIK where the removal of corneal tissue is involved.
Using Ortho-K lenses can also slow down the progression of myopia in children and adults. Myopia can lead to other eye conditions, such as cataracts and glaucoma. Therefore, asking for professional advice in Singapore about the use of OK lenses for your myopia can be beneficial.
Corneal reshaping with an OK lens is totally reversible, and risks are very minimal with the right care and professional reviews. Plus, you can discontinue wearing the lenses at any time, provided you are ready to put on your spectacles or contact lenses again.
Book a ConsultThe comfort level of the Ortho-K lenses may vary from person to person. However, generally, on the first night of use, there may be slight discomfort, but the comfort level gets better with continued use. You can consult a professional in Singapore to know how you can ease the discomfort you may experience when using your Ortho-K lenses.
When putting on Ortho-K lenses, make sure that you maintain good hand and contact lens hygiene. That way, you prevent the risk of eye infections. You can come talk to us in Singapore to know how you can take proper care of your OK lenses.
If you want to know if Ortho-K lenses can be an option to correct your vision, you can turn to Eyecare People. We offer our customers in Singapore holistic solutions on how to maintain their eye health. Our team also has myopia control programs for teens and young adults to ensure clear vision as they get older.
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