Orthokeratology, also known as (Ortho-k), is a non-surgical technique for treating myopia, or nearsightedness, and can be a suitable alternative to lasik eye surgery that enables myopic condition patients to see better at a distance.

The process uses a series of more rigid contact lenses to reshape the cornea at night and provide a temporary reduction of myopia during the day. These special contact lenses apply pressure to the sides of the cornea and change their shape overnight.

Depending upon the individual patient, a programmed application of different contact lenses may be used. Results are dependent on the individual circumstances however selected patients can go through the whole day wearing no vision correcting prescription glasses or contact lenses.

Symptoms for patients that have astigmatism are in the appearance of objects which are distorted depending upon how bad the astigmatism condition is. Both closer and distant objects are distorted. The images are slightly blurred because some of the light rays are focused whilst others are not. This distortion effect is like that produced by looking through a wavy glass panel.

Our cornea is normally round and smooth. When a patient has an astigmatism, the cornea’s shape curves more oval causing the distorted vision. Astigmatism is an inherited condition, and may occur in combination with farsightedness or with nearsightedness.

Astigmatism is corrected by bending the light rays onto a single plane. There are several options for vision correction for astigmatic patients such as: prescription eye glasses, contact lenses, laser surgery such as, Astigmatic Keratotomy, or vision shaping treatments such as Orthokeratology.