Orthokeratology

Orthokeratology corrects short sight while you sleep. Take the lenses out in the morning and, once your vision settles, you shouldn't need glasses or daytime contact lenses for most of the day. Our optometrists fit them alongside the other contact lenses they prescribe.

What is orthokeratology?

Orthokeratology, or ortho-k, uses rigid lenses worn overnight. They reshape the cornea, the front surface of the eye, so light focuses correctly and short sight stays corrected through the next day. It suits milder short sight, sometimes with a little astigmatism. Optometrists also use it as one way to slow short sight from worsening in children, with regular check-ups throughout. The reshaping wears off, so you'll wear the lenses nightly and your optometrist updates them as young eyes change.

When might orthokeratology suit you?

Ask about orthokeratology if any of this sounds like you or your child:

• Distant things look blurred while close-up work stays comfortable
• Your child struggles to read the whiteboard at school
• Your child sits very close to the screen
• Your child's prescription has changed at every recent eye test
• You would rather not wear glasses during the day
• You want to correct short sight without laser surgery

Short sight often runs in families. It usually starts between the ages of 6 and 13 and keeps changing until the eyes stop growing. A routine eye test picks the pattern up early. Short sight is the one thing orthokeratology corrects.

It doesn't suit everyone. Your child needs to be old enough to handle and clean lenses carefully. The optometrist checks whether the health and shape of your eyes, or your child's, make overnight wear sensible. Where it isn't right for you, your optometrist can talk you through the other ways to correct short sight.

What to expect

You'll have an eye examination first. Your optometrist measures your prescription, or your child's, and checks the health of the front of your eye. A scanner then maps the curve of your cornea by reading light bounced off the surface. Those measurements shape the lens. You put the lenses in at bedtime and take them out in the morning. The first few nights usually feel odd until you fall asleep.

Some people see a clear improvement within days, though it can take two weeks or more for vision to settle fully. It can take more than one lens to get the fit right. After that you'll be seen regularly, because the lenses need checking. Wearing any lens overnight raises the risk of eye infection. Your optometrist explains how to clean and handle them, and what signs need checking quickly.

Orthokeratology at Mediclinic

We fit orthokeratology lenses at Mediclinic City Hospital in Dubai. Our contact lens specialist does the fitting. We use lenses designed for lower degrees of short sight. Overnight wear isn't right for every eye. Where it doesn't suit you, we fit other contact lenses, including soft and hybrid ones. Our paediatric team offers it too, alongside treatment for conditions such as lazy eye. Rigid lenses also help where the eye's surface has changed shape.