Orthokeratology, or “ortho-k,” is a noninvasive treatment method for refractive errors that involves the use of special contact lenses worn during sleep. In this blog, your local eye care specialists at Opti-Care shares tips on how to help your teenager take care of their ortho-k lenses.
How Orthokeratology Works
Let’s first take a quick look at the orthokeratology process. During treatment, the patient is instructed to wear specially designed gas-permeable contact lenses while they sleep and to remove the lenses upon waking up. The lenses help reshape the contour of the cornea, improving vision and potentially even inhibiting progressive myopia. After treatment, the patient will need to wear the ortho-k lenses less frequently.
Always Practice Good Hygiene
Your optometrist and eye care specialist will provide specific guidelines about how to handle and care for your ortho-k lenses. Remind your child to always rinse and dry their hands thoroughly before handling their lenses. Handling the lenses with hands wet from tap water can allow microorganisms to get into their eyes.
Keep Up With Follow-Up Visits
Adolescents still have developing eyes, so your eye care professional needs to monitor not just the treatment’s progress, but also whether the type of lenses need to be changed. If the ortho-k treatment happens to coincide with a growth spurt, your child may need to be fitted for a new set of lenses.
Have vision problems? Visit Opti-Care for an eye exam. Give us a call at (410) 795-8670 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We serve customers in Westminster and Marriottsville, MD.