ORTHO-K

Many people with refractive vision problems love the idea of seeing clearly without relying on glasses or daytime contact lenses. Unfortunately, not everyone is a good match for LASIK or PRK—the two most common laser procedures that permanently reshape the cornea. If you’ve been told laser surgery isn’t right for you, there’s no need to worry. At Kevin Duong OD, we offer an alternative called orthokeratology, or Ortho-K—a non-surgical corneal reshaping method that improves the way your eyes bend light.

How Ortho-K Works

To appreciate the benefits of Ortho-K, it helps to understand the role of the cornea. The cornea is the clear, dome-shaped surface at the front of the eye. It protects the inner eye and also plays a major part in focusing light. As light passes through the cornea, its shape determines how those light rays bend before they reach the lens and eventually the retina. From there, the optic nerve sends visual information to the brain.

When the cornea’s curvature is irregular, light doesn’t focus properly—resulting in nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. Glasses and standard contact lenses compensate for this by bending incoming light in a way that offsets the cornea’s shape. Laser surgery, on the other hand, reshapes the cornea permanently.

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Corneal Reshaping While You Sleep

Although permanent correction can seem appealing, laser surgery isn’t suitable for everyone. Patients with thin corneas, uncontrolled diabetes, certain autoimmune disorders, untreated cataracts, or corneal conditions such as keratoconus are often advised to avoid refractive surgery. In addition, some patients simply prefer a reversible, non-invasive option.

Orthokeratology offers exactly that. Dr. Duong uses detailed corneal measurements to design custom rigid contact lenses. These lenses are worn while you sleep—not during the day. As you rest, the lenses gently and temporarily reshape the surface of your cornea. When you remove them in the morning, you can enjoy clear or significantly improved vision throughout the day.

Most patients experience good vision for 24–48 hours after wearing their Ortho-K lenses, and using them nightly helps maintain consistent clarity. If you ever choose to switch to another form of vision correction, you can simply stop wearing the lenses—your corneas naturally return to their original shape.

Our team is here to help you determine whether Ortho-K is a good fit for your lifestyle and vision needs. Feel free to contact our office to learn more about this safe, effective, and reversible option for clearer vision without surgery.