Orthokeratology

Many patients with vision problems heartily embrace the idea of enjoying vision correction without having to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses. Not all of these patients, however, are good candidates for PRK or Lasik surgery, the two standard surgeries used to alter the way the cornea of the eye refracts light. If that describes you, don't fret -- because here at Rockford Family Eyecare, we offer an advanced corneal reshaping technique known as orthokeratology, or Ortho-K. This non-surgical technique can produce changes to the way your cornea refracts light and also incorporates a Wave Contact Lens System, Wave NightLens, and NightLens Therapy.

To understand the benefits of Ortho-K, let us first consider how the cornea works. The cornea is a transparent, spherical bulge that sits over the lens of your eye. In addition to protecting the inner parts of the eye, the cornea also performs some lens-like tasks of its own. The shape of cornea causes incoming light rays to be refracted, or bent, in such a way that the lens can focus them into a clear, sharp image before they pass on to the retina and optic nerve. Ultimately, the optic nerve transmits the image to your brain.

Deformations in the shape of the cornea cause refraction to go wrong in various ways, producing the fuzzy images characteristic of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Glasses and contact lens are curved to "pre-refract" incoming light to compensate for your personal degree of corneal deformation. Laser surgery actually corrects the shape of cornea itself, eliminating most of all of the visual errors that might otherwise call for corrective lenses.

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Corneal Reshaping While You Sleep

While you might leap at the thought of permanently correcting vision problems, laser surgery isn't always the best eye care option. For instance, if you suffer from thin corneas, untreated cataracts, diabetes, certain autoimmune diseases, or a corneal disease called keratoconus, you should avoid laser eye surgery.

Some of our patients simply don't like the idea of any kind of surgery, or they want a reversible procedure. Orthokeratology may be an ideal choice for these individuals. Dr. Sees will map the shape of your corneas precisely and then fabricate special contact lenses. Unlike standard contacts, you'll wear these lenses at night. The lenses perform a subtle corneal reshaping as you sleep, meaning that you can take them out the next morning and enjoy perfect or near-perfect vision.

Ortho-K can help you see clearly for one or two days at a time, or possibly even longer. By wearing them regularly at night, you can maintain your clarity of vision for as long as you decide to continue using them. If you decide to use another form of vision correction, simply stop wearing the Ortho-K lenses and your corneas will assume their previous shape once again. Talk to our knowledgeable staff to see whether Ortho-K makes sense for you.

Nearsightedness (Myopia)

Nearsightedness (myopia) is a combination of increased axial length of the eyes as well as refractive bodies (cornea and lens) that displace the image in front of the retina. In 1970 only 25% of people Europe and America had nearsightedness. Today, those numbers have almost *doubled*. In some Asian countries the numbers have risen up to 90%. The Center for Disease Control now views progressive myopia as an epidemic. Although no one is exactly sure why nearsightedness is on the rise, theories range from an increase in near activities including computer use to decreased levels of activity outside. One thing proven is that genetics play a role. If parents or grandparents have a high glasses/contact lens prescription, the chance of their children having a high prescription is very likely, possibly surpassing even their parents prescription.

According the to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, *Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) can reduce axial length and nearsightedness up to 50% in children.* On top of that, Ortho-K can correct your vision while you sleep allowing you to wake up without needing contacts or glasses all day. The FDA approved Ortho-K molds/lenses to be worn while you sleep, safely correcting your eyesight and giving you freedom from glasses or contacts all day or even for multiple days.