Here at ClearView 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.
A Message from your Optometrist
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.
Corneal Reshaping While You Sleep
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. Anker and Dr. Pan 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.
Myopia Management
Myopia, or Nearsightedness, occurs as our eyes get longer over time, causing distant objects to be blurry. This condition is usually hereditary and often worsens as we get older, typically leveling out around 18 years of age. Myopia management is a new, daily wear contact lens that are FDA approved to slow the progression of myopia in children 8-12 years of age. These lenses have been proven to slow myopia progression by 59% over a 3 year period. Think of it as "braces for eyes". When worn correctly, myopia management can have a profound impact on your child's vision as they grow into adulthood. We do insertion and removal training with you and your child with care and patience. Call us to learn more or head to ClearView Eyecare today. (360) 392-8306