Orthokeratology
Overnight Lenses for Myopia
A custom rigid lens is worn during sleep and taken out on waking. The front of the eye holds its new shape through the day, so your child sees clearly with no glasses or lenses on.
What is orthokeratology?
Orthokeratology, or Ortho-K, uses custom-made rigid contact lenses worn overnight to gently flatten the centre of the cornea. The effect lasts through the next day, giving clear vision without glasses, and the reshaped cornea also slows eye growth in children by roughly 40 to 50 percent on average. The effect is reversible if lens wear stops.
- Worn
- Every night, 7 to 8 hours
- Best range
- Up to about minus 5.00
- Typical age
- 8 and above
- Reversible
- Yes, within days to weeks
Night and Day With Ortho-K
Switch between the two to see what the lens does and when.
Asleep, lens on. A thin layer of tears under the lens gently flattens the centre of the cornea. Nothing is felt during sleep.
Awake, lens off. The cornea keeps its new shape, so light focuses on the retina and distance vision is clear with nothing in or on the eye.
- Lenses in at bedtime
- Cornea reshaped during sleep
- Lenses out on waking
- Clear vision all day
Simplified drawing, not to scale.
The Children and Adults Who Do Best
Ortho-K fits a particular kind of patient well.
- Swimmers and children in contact or dusty sports
- Children who dislike wearing glasses at school
- Powers up to about minus 5.00 with low astigmatism
- Families able to supervise careful nightly cleaning
- Adults who want glasses-free days without surgery
The Risk to Know About and How It Is Kept Low
The serious risk with any contact lens worn overnight is corneal infection. It is rare, and almost always linked to poor hygiene or tap water touching the lens or case.
The rules are simple and not optional: wash and dry hands, clean with the prescribed solutions only, never use water, replace the case regularly, and remove the lens and call the clinic at once for a red, painful or light-sensitive eye.
Glasses power changed again this year? An assessment shows how fast it is moving and what can slow it.
Compare It With the Alternatives
See how Ortho-K ranks against the other options for your child.
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Myopia control glasses
Read how it works and who it suits.
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Low-dose atropine drops
Read how it works and who it suits.
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Orthokeratology (overnight lenses)
Read how it works and who it suits.
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Daytime control contact lenses
Read how it works and who it suits.
-
Outdoor time and screen habits
Read how it works and who it suits.
General guidance from published research. Suitability is confirmed at an assessment.
From First Scan to Settled Vision
The cornea is mapped with a topographer and lenses are designed from that map. Vision improves after the first night and usually settles within one to two weeks. Reviews follow after the first night, at one week, one month and then every six months. Lenses are normally replaced each year.
For fittings in Chennai see Orthokeratology in Chennai.
Treatments
Questions Families Ask
Is Ortho-K safe for children?
Is Ortho-K permanent?
Does sleeping in the lenses hurt?
Can Ortho-K correct high myopia?
Find Out Where the Power Is Heading
A myopia assessment measures the current power, checks how the eyes focus and work together, and sets out the options that fit. In clinic in Chennai and Hyderabad, with online consultations across India.