Ortho-K

Many patients with vision problems heartily embrace the idea of enjoying vision correction without having to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses. Not all these patients, however, are good candidates for PRK or Lasik surgery, the two standard surgeries used to alter the way the cornea of the eye refracts light. If that describes you, do not fret -- because at Lafayette Optometric Group, we offer an advanced corneal reshaping technique known as orthokeratology, or Ortho-K. This non-surgical technique can produce changes to the way your cornea refracts light.

To understand the benefits of Ortho-K, let us first consider how the cornea works. The cornea is a transparent, spherical bulge that sits over the lens of your eye. In addition to protecting the inner parts of the eye, the cornea also performs some lens-like tasks of its own. The shape of the cornea causes incoming light rays to be refracted or bent in such a way that the lens can focus them into a clear, sharp image before they pass on to the retina and optic nerve. Ultimately, the optic nerve transmits the image to your brain.

Deformations in the shape of the cornea cause refraction to go wrong in various ways, producing the fuzzy images characteristic of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Glasses and contact lenses are curved to "pre-refract" incoming light to compensate for your personal degree of corneal deformation. Laser surgery corrects the shape of the cornea itself, eliminating almost all the visual errors that might otherwise call for corrective lenses.

Corneal Reshaping While You Sleep

While you might leap at the thought of permanently correcting vision problems, laser surgery is not always the best eye care option. For instance, if you suffer from thin corneas, untreated cataracts, diabetes, certain autoimmune diseases, or a corneal disease called keratoconus, you should avoid laser eye surgery.

Some of our patients simply do not like the idea of any kind of surgery, or they want a reversible procedure. Orthokeratology may be an ideal choice for these individuals. Our doctors will map the shape of your corneas precisely and then fabricate special contact lenses. Unlike standard contacts, you will wear these lenses at night. The lenses perform a subtle corneal reshaping as you sleep, meaning that you can take them out the next morning and enjoy perfect or near-perfect vision.

Ortho-K can help you see clearly for one or two days at a time, or possibly even longer. By wearing them regularly at night, you can maintain your clarity of vision for as long as you decide to continue using them. If you decide to use another form of vision correction, simply stop wearing the Ortho-K lenses, and your corneas will assume their previous shape once again. Talk to our knowledgeable staff to see whether Ortho-K makes sense for you.

Questions? Would you like an appointment? Contact Us!

Location

ADDRESS: 958 Moraga Road, Lafayette, CA, 94549. We are located two blocks south of Mt. Diablo Blvd at the intersection of Moraga Rd and Moraga Blvd.

Hours

We are typically closed on major national holidays. Please give us a call to get the latest clinic hours. Our emergency line is open 24/7.

Lafayette

Monday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

1:00 pm-4:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-12:00 pm

1:30 pm-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-12:00 pm

1:30 pm-5:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-12:00 pm

1:30 pm-5:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-12:00 pm

1:30 pm-5:00 pm

Saturday:

9:30 am-3:30 pm

ONLY OPEN SOME Saturdays

Sunday:

Closed