Could You Benefit from Ortho-K Contact Lenses?

Orthokeratology in Wilmington, NC, commonly known as Ortho-K, describes using customized contact lenses that patients wear temporarily to reshape the cornea. We typically prescribe Ortho-K contact lenses for children between the ages of eight and 12 who are just starting to experience vision issues related to nearsightedness. Patients wear the Ortho-K lenses at night to allow them to reshape the cornea during sleep.

Although children are the most likely patient group to wear these specialty lenses, adults can wear them too. Ortho-K contact lenses may be right for you if you lead an active lifestyle that includes water activities and sports. Some adults prefer this method of vision correction to LASIK because it does not require surgery.

How Does Ortho-K Reshape Your Cornea?

Your cornea sits at the front of your eye, processing light and focusing on near and far objects. The tissues of your cornea are flexible enough that wearing temporary contact lenses at night will not cause any eye irritation.

Before our laboratory creates your customized lenses, an optometrist at Paul Vision Institute creates a corneal map after measuring your eyes with an instrument called a topographer. The information on the corneal map enables our laboratory technicians to design contact lenses for the precise measurements and shape of your eyes.

The Ortho-K lenses flatten the center of each cornea, which bends light and changes the way it comes into your eyes. You or your child will need to commit to wearing the specialty contact lenses for at least several months to ensure that your corneas do not revert to their previous shape.

Find Out if Ortho-K is Right for You

We invite you to request a consultation to learn more aboutorthokeratology in Wilmington, NC. Our team looks forward to helping you see better.