Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)
-Lexington, MA
At Lexington Eye Care, we offer orthokeratology (Ortho-K) for children, teens, and adults. These specially designed overnight lenses provide a non-surgical approach to vision correction and can also be used as part of myopia management for children with progressive nearsightedness.
What Is Ortho-K?
Orthokeratology, commonly known as Ortho-K, uses specially designed rigid gas-permeable contact lenses that are worn while you sleep.
The lenses gently reshape the front surface of the eye, called the cornea. They are removed in the morning, allowing many patients to see clearly throughout the day without glasses or contact lenses.
The effect is temporary and reversible, so the lenses need to be worn regularly to maintain the vision correction.
How Does Ortho-K Work?
Before fitting Ortho-K lenses, we use corneal topography to create a detailed map of the shape and curvature of your cornea. This helps us determine whether Ortho-K is appropriate and guides the fitting of your lenses.
You wear the lenses overnight and remove them in the morning. Some patients notice clearer vision within the first few nights, while others may take longer to reach their best vision.
Regular follow-up visits allow us to monitor your vision, corneal health, and lens fit and make adjustments when needed.
Ortho-K for Children and Myopia Management
Ortho-K is especially popular among families looking for options to manage childhood myopia (nearsightedness).
Myopia often progresses as children grow. For appropriate patients, Ortho-K can provide clear daytime vision while also helping to slow the progression of myopia.
At Lexington Eye Care, myopia management goes beyond checking a glasses prescription. When appropriate, we also monitor axial length, which helps us track eye growth and evaluate how a child's myopia is changing over time.
Depending on the child, Ortho-K may be considered alongside other myopia management options.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Ortho-K?
Ortho-K may be a good option for:
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Children and teens with progressing myopia
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Adults who want less dependence on glasses or daytime contact lenses
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Patients with myopia, with or without certain levels of astigmatism
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People who participate in sports or other activities where glasses can be inconvenient
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Patients looking for a non-surgical and reversible vision correction option
Not every prescription or corneal shape is suitable for Ortho-K. An eye exam and Ortho-K evaluation are needed to determine whether it is right for you or your child.
What to Expect
Your Ortho-K evaluation includes detailed measurements of your eyes and cornea. Once your lenses are fitted, we will teach you how to insert, remove, clean, and care for them properly.
Follow-up visits are an important part of Ortho-K treatment, especially for children undergoing myopia management. We use these visits to check vision, eye health, lens fit, and treatment progress.
Is Ortho-K Safe?
Ortho-K can be a safe option for appropriate patients when lenses are properly fitted, cleaned, and worn as directed.
As with any contact lens, improper handling or hygiene can increase the risk of eye irritation or infection. We provide detailed lens-care instructions and monitor your eye health during follow-up visits.
If you experience eye pain, unusual redness, light sensitivity, discharge, or a sudden change in vision, remove the lenses and contact an eye care professional promptly.
Ortho-K care at Lexington Eye Care is provided by Dr. Richard Yilin Zhang, MD, OD, PhD, FOAA, who has more than 30 years of clinical experience in eye care and over 20 years of experience serving patients in the Greater Boston area.
Dr. Zhang takes an individualized approach to Ortho-K and myopia management. Each treatment plan is based on the patient's prescription, corneal shape, eye health, age, and visual needs.
For children with progressive myopia, Dr. Zhang also emphasizes continued monitoring over time to evaluate eye growth and modify treatment accordingly.
Meet Dr. Richard Yilin Zhang
Ortho-K Care at Lexington Eye Care
If you are looking for Ortho-K in Lexington, MA, Lexington Eye Care provides individualized Ortho-K fitting and ongoing care for both children and adults.
For children with progressive myopia, Ortho-K can also be incorporated into a broader myopia management plan, with regular monitoring as their eyes grow and change.
We serve families from Lexington and surrounding Greater Boston communities who are exploring Ortho-K and other options for myopia control.