Dr. Michael Tran has been treating patients with orthokeratology since 2015
What is Orthokeratology (Ortho K) or Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT)?
Orthokeratology(Ortho K) or Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT) is a nonsurgical procedure using specially designed contact lenses to gently reshape the curvature of the eye to improve vision. This is a revolutionary non-surgical procedure that eliminates the need for glasses or daytime contact lenses. It improves vision by gently reshaping your eye WHILE YOU SLEEP using specially designed therapeutic contact lenses. You just put the specially fitted lenses in at bedtime, and when you awake, you will have clear, sharp, natural vision for your waking hours. CRT lenses were FDA approved in June 2002 and hundreds of thousands of people, worldwide, are enjoying them.
How does Ortho K work?
- Children who are becoming more myopic or nearsighted
- Patients who are unable to tolerate daytime contact lenses due to allergies or dry eyes
- Patients looking for an alternative to refractive surgery (LASIK)
- Adults and kids active in sports including swimming and surfing where glasses get in the way
- Patients who simply dislike wearing glasses or daytime contacts
Myopia & Ortho-K
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a visual condition in which light rays are focused in front of the retina, enabling the person to see clearly for a short distance, but long distance vision is blurred. It is the most common refractive error of the eye, and it has become more prevalent worldwide.
Myopia occurs if the eyeball is too long or the cornea, the clear front cover of the eye, has too much curvature. As a result, the light entering the eye isn’t focused correctly and distant objects look blurred.
The number of children that are becoming nearsighted (myopic) has been growing rapidly over the last 25 years and is expected to impair fully 50% of the world’s population by the year 2020. This rapid increase is due in part to children spending more time studying, reading and using the computer rather than playing outdoors. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) now views progressive myopia as an epidemic.
Increasing myopia causes poor vision. But more importantly, it can lead to sigh threatening conditions like retinal detachments and glaucoma. The earlier a child exhibits myopia, the more likely they will progress to dangerously high levels. What can we do to stop this myopia epidemic?
Studies have shown that Ortho-K lenses can slow myopia. Numerous published studies have documented that children wearing Ortho-K lenses experience little to no myopic progression during treatment. To learn more, visit www.okglobal.org.
Children make great Ortho-K wearers. They are highly motivated and learn how to care for their lenses quickly, even children as young as five. The lenses are placed on the eyes right before bed. The mild lens sensation disappears as soon as the eyes close for sleep, so children aren’t afraid to wear their lenses. And you have the security of knowing that you are protecting their future sight.
