Orthokeratology FAQs
Here are common questions moms are asking about ortho-k.
What is orthokeratology?
Orthokeratology (ortho-k) with contact lenses correct nearsightedness and are worn at night. The lenses are put in before bed and worn while you sleep. You remove the lenses when you wake up and enjoy clear vision all day, without needing other vision correction options like glasses or daytime wear contact lenses. For more information, read the following blog article, What are ortho-k contact lenses?.
What’s the age limit for ortho-k?
There are no specific age recommendations with ortho-k lenses. The age depends on your child’s situation and the recommendation of your eye care professional. Children are particularly good candidates and often their parents are too. The sooner that the ortho-k is started after the onset of nearsightedness, the more positive of an influence it may have on your child’s vision and lifestyle.
When started at a young age, parents can help in contact lens wear, putting them in before bed and taking them out in the morning. Then your child can go to school without taking glasses or contact lens supplies.
How long does it take to work?
The time it takes lenses to work varies from person to person. Generally, people with lower levels of nearsightedness see results faster than those with higher levels of nearsightedness. Many people experience a significant vision improvement after the first night of wear, but it’s expected that you will achieve the maximum visual effect in about two weeks.
Is ortho-k permanent?
The treatment with ortho-k contact lenses is temporary and most people are able to see well without daytime vision correction for a day or two. The process is reversible. When lens wear is discontinued, the corneal shape and nearsighted vision will return. Whereas Lasik is a permanent treatment and is not reversible.
Are ortho-k lenses safe?
Ortho-k lenses are FDA-approved for overnight wear for wearers of all ages as long as the contact lenses are made from certain highly gas-permeable materials that are approved for overnight wear.
This article provides more details about the safety aspects: How Safe Are Overnight Contact Lenses?
How much does ortho-k cost?
The initial costs of ortho-k may be higher than glasses or contact lenses, but the benefits can be significant. After the initial year of the fitting, the fee for the subsequent years is much lower.
Compared to traditional soft contact lenses, the fitting process requires specific expertise and more office visits.
Many eye care professionals bundle ortho-k costs similar to orthodontists’ treatments, where all the visits, the lenses, and sometimes cleaning solutions are combined into a fee. The fee is larger the first year, when the lenses are initially prescribed and the fee for the following years is much lower. Other doctors charge for their visits and the lens fees separately.
Sometimes fees vary based on the level and degree of myopia and there are regional differences as well.
Once you find a doctor who prescribes ortho-k, call the front desk and ask about their fees. They do vary widely from practice to practice ranging from $1,500 to $4,000 and may include the exams, lenses, and follow-up care.
What are the benefits of ortho-k?
Ortho-k may increase your child’s quality of life, academic performance, and self-esteem. Imagine that during the day, your child has clear vision without being bothered with lenses or prescription glasses. He or she can see the board at school and play during recess without being concerned about their glasses. While correcting vision is important, optometrists agree that for children, it’s important to correct the vision and slow down the progression of myopia. Studies show a 36% to 56% slower progression of myopia in children treatment with ortho-k compared to glasses and other vision correction options. High myopia can lead to more serious future vision risks.
Are ortho-k, overnight contact lenses, and CRT the same?
Essentially, yes. Orthokeratology is also called ortho-k, overnight contact lenses, Corneal Refractive Therapy or CRT, Vision Shaping Treatment or VST , Accelerated Orthokeratology or AOK, Gentle Vision Shaping System or GVSS.
Are ortho-k contact lenses FDA approved?
Several ortho-k lens designs are FDA approved for overnight wear and the temporary correction of myopia in non-diseased eyes. Paragon CRT was approved in the US market in 2002 and has been worn by hundreds of thousands of children worldwide.
The “indication” granted by the FDA is the temporary correction of myopia, not ‘slowing the progression of myopia.’ While numerous studies over the past decade have demonstrated that ortho-k lenses slow the progression of myopia, no ortho-k contact lens has been granted the indication for ‘slowing the progression of myopia.” This is considered an ‘off-label’ indication in the United States.
The only contact lens in the United States that has the indication for slowing the progression of myopia is MiSight 1 Day contact lenses. The contact lens is FDA-approved and backed by a 7-year clinical study.
Is my child too young for ortho-k?
In the United States, the age for ortho-k depends on the recommendation of your eye care professional.
Research shows that the sooner ortho-k is started after the onset of nearsightedness, the more positive of an influence it may have on a person’s vision and lifestyle.
In younger children, nearsightedness progresses more quickly because their eyes are growing at a faster rate.
Does ortho-k slow down the progression of nearsightedness?
Ortho-k lenses are not FDA-approved to slow the progression of myopia in the US. Optometrists in the US prescribe ortho-k to provide lifestyle benefits and potentially slow down the progression of myopia in children. Compared to glasses, multiple study results with hundreds of children have shown that ortho-k lenses reduce the rate of myopia progression (by measuring the growth of the eye) in children by around 50%. The rate of progression is most affected in the first and second years of treatment.
In addition to ortho-k, other treatments to discuss with your eye care professional include daytime wear contact lenses like MiSight for myopia control.
Where can I get ortho-k lenses?
In the United States, ortho-k lenses are prescribed primarily by optometrists, but some ophthalmologists prescribe ortho-k. Those that prescribe the lenses have undergone specific training and certification. It’s a good idea to check that your eye doctor has experience with myopia management and ortho-k before scheduling an appointment. A quick check on their website or a phone call is usually a good indicator. Here’s a website where you can find a doctor that is a member of the AAOMC (American Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control).
Is ortho-k covered by insurance or my vision plan?
Ortho-k is considered a cosmetic program by most medical insurers and they don’t provide payment for myopia treatment options. Your vision plan may have a defined benefit, which is a certain allowance toward the purchase of eyewear or contact lenses. Some plans allow you to apply the defined benefit. Check your insurance company for more details about your plan.
Do ortho-k lenses hurt?
When you first begin to wear ortho-k lenses, there is may be an initial awareness under the eyelid that is experienced. After a few nights of wearing the lenses, most patients become more accustomed to that sensation and less aware of the feeling.
If the wearer experiences pain with the lenses or any type of contact lens, discontinue use and contact your eye care professional.
Where can I learn more about ortho-k?
Your eye care professional is a good resource for information on ortho-k.
Other sources include the patient website from the American Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control or if you’d prefer to read the clinical side of ortho-k, visit the leading industry publication: Review of Myopia Management.