Q. Are there age restrictions for ortho-k therapy?

No. The FDA did not place any age restrictions on candidates for ortho-k treatments. Currently, iSee lenses have been successfully used to treat a high myopic 9 year old child with astigmatism (data on file). iSee lenses are also a great option for children and teens that are active in sports, water or outdoor activities.

Q .Can anyone wear Ortho-k lenses?

While only your doctor can determine if corneal reshaping is right for you, several recent advancements in technology and manufacturing techniques now make it possible to aid patients with moderate to high myopia (near sightedness), hyperopia (far sightedness), presbyopia (the need for reading glasses), and mild astigmatisms. Only after a thorough eye exam can your doctor determine which treatment option is best for you.

Q. I suffer from “dry” eyes, am I a candidate for Ortho-k therapy?

Only your eye care professional can determine if you are a candidate. Many patients with slightly dry eyes do well with ortho-k treatment. Since you are wearing the lenses only while sleeping, the closed eye state minimizes evaporative loss of tears and can give dry-eye patients suitable vision without compromising the ocular surface.

Q. I have astigmatism. Am I a candidate for Corneal Refractive Therapy?

Yes. iSee contact lenses are designed to correct mild to moderate amounts of astigmatism. Each individual should be evaluated by a certified eye care professional to determine if you are a candidate for treatment.

Q. What is the difference between Ortho-k, corneal refractive therapy and iSee?

There are numerous popular terms for corneal reshaping techniques using contact lenses. You may have heard the terms: Orthokeratology (ortho-k), overnight vision correction, vision shaping treatment, corneal refractive therapy, or corneal reshaping therapy – all of these refer to the same vision correction medical treatment using contact lenses to correct visual impairments. iSee is an advanced ortho-k design contact lens used for this therapy.

Q. How long does it take to reach good vision?

Most patients have rapid improvement in the first few days of treatment and achieve nearly their optimum vision in 10 to 14 days.

Q. Is Corneal Refractive Therapy Permanent?

No. Corneal refractive therapy only works for as long as you continue treatment. If you stop wearing the lenses regularly while you sleep, your vision will return to its original state in as little as 72 hours.

Find an Ortho-k Eye Doctor
Orthokeratology (Ortho-k) Eye Doctor Locator

Q. What do I do to see adequately in the period of time between when I start Ortho-k therapy and when I achieve full treatment?

It’s important to understand that for a time after you have begun treatment, but before sufficient treatment is realized, your old glasses or contacts will no longer be the appropriate prescription. It may involve insertion of your treatment lenses for part of the day or some use of temporary soft lenses in different prescriptions as an option. Your eye care practitioner will discuss your options for visual correction during that transitional period of time.

Q. Are there any risks involved with wearing Ortho-k lenses?

The risk in wearing ortho-k lenses is comparable to that of any contact lens. However, the best part about corneal reshaping therapy is that it is safe, non-surgical, non-invasive and reversible. Additionally, no serious adverse events were reported in FDA clinical trials.

Q. Is corneal refractive therapy painful?

The therapy is not painful. Initially, you may have a slight awareness of the therapeutic lens. You will not feel the lenses when you sleep and there is no sense of physical corneal change…. just visual improvement when the lenses are removed.
Visual requirements due to age or activities can only be assessed after a thorough eye exam. Your eye care professional will recommend what is best for you.

Q. What happens if I lose or damage a lens?

Ortho-k is different than wearing regular contact lenses. If you discontinue wear for one night, your vision may be impaired the next day. Previously worn glasses or contact lenses may not help. Immediate replacement is necessary! Having a spare pair of lenses is strongly recommended.

Q. Do benefit programs cover Ortho-k therapy?

This is an elective procedure, and to the best of our knowledge is not usually covered by benefit programs. If regular contact lenses are covered under your vision care plan, ortho-k therapy may be partially covered. You should check with your benefits plan administrator.

Q. How much does Ortho-k cost?

The cost for your Ortho-k initial fitting, professional care, follow-up and Ortho-k treatment lenses vary by practitioner. After the first year, the annual cost of ortho-k lenses is about the same as wearing traditional contact lenses or glasses. Many eye care practitioners offer optional payment plans such as Care Credit. Consult with your eye care practitioner for further specific information. You may also want to consult with your employer about Flexible Spending Accounts.
A Flexible Spending Account (FSA), (also called flex plan, reimbursement account, Flex 125, Tax Saving Plan, Medical Spending Account, a Section 125, or a Cafeteria Plan), is an employer-sponsored benefit that allows you to pay for eligible medical expenses on a pre-tax basis (there are also similar accounts for dependent and child-care expenses). If you expect to incur medical expenses that won’t be reimbursed by your regular health insurance plan, you should be taking advantage of your employer’s FSA if they have one.
Not all employers participate in FSA programs. You should check with your Benefits Manager to see if your employer participates. It is important to calculate how much money to contribute for the year. If you put in more money than you need, by law, you lose it. For Corneal Refractive Therapy, it’s recommend you have a consultation first to determine candidacy prior to making any allocations to your Flexible Spending Account.

Sports Vision

iSee Orthokeratology for Sports and Active lifestyles

No matter what level of sports you or your child are involved in, you want the best vision as possible. Additionally, glasses are a hindrance for any sports enthusiast, whether professional or recreational, and traditional daytime contact lenses are often equally irritating and inconvenient.

Why iSee corneal refractive therapy is ideal for sports and active lifestyles:

Clear unaided vision during activities.
Unobstructed field of view and total peripheral vision without interference from glasses.
No more spectacles that steam up from perspiration or become foggy when the temperature changes rapidly.
No irritation caused by contact lenses.
No need to bring spare contacts and contact lens solutions to practice and game days.
No worrying about potential complications of refractive surgery, which could adversely affect athletic performance for a lifetime.
They don’t fog up or get splattered with rain, mud or perspiration.
They also provide more stable vision during quick head and body movements

iSee Ortho-k overnight lenses are ideal for most athletic activities, especially for sports where the ability to see without glasses or contact lenses is especially important. These sports include: archery, baseball, basketball, boxing, climbing, cycling, diving, football, golf, gymnastics, hockey, hunting, martial arts, motorcycle racing, rugby, racket ball, shooting sports, softball, skiing, snowboarding, soccer, surfing, swimming, tennis and wrestling.

Why Ortho-k May Be Better Than Contact Lenses

Contact lenses can dry out, especially during periods of intense concentration when an athlete may not blink frequently enough to keep them moistened. If they become too dry, vision can fluctuate.
Contact lenses can sometimes move off center or become dislodged from the eye, especially during contact sports or if they become dry.
Contact lenses for astigmatism can rotate on the eye during rapid head movements and certain postures, causing unstable vision.
Eye allergies can be a problem for contact lens wear. Athletes who normally can wear contact lenses successfully may find their contacts become intolerable during allergy season, when pollen and other airborne irritants can stick to the lenses.

Ortho-k therapy helps eliminate these contact lens related vision problems and provides the freedom to experience sports and active lifestyles that traditional contact lenses can’t.

Too young or looking for an alternative to Lasik

While surgical vision correction offers the convenience of not having to wear contact lenses or glasses, it is not for everybody:

Like any surgery, there is no guarantee of a perfect outcome with LASIK or other vision correction procedures.
Like any surgery, there are risks of complications from LASIK and other vision correction procedures. Possible complications include glare and halos around lights, persistent dry eyes and reduced visual acuity or contrast sensitivity.
You must be over 18 for most surgical vision correction procedures, eliminating LASIK and related surgeries as options for younger athletes.

Corneal reshaping therapy, on the other hand, is safe, non-surgical, non-evasive and reversible. In fact, corneal reshaping therapy is so safe that many eye care practitioners are comfortable performing the procedure for children as young as 7 or 8 years old.

Additionally, ortho-k is ideal for athletes who are too young for LASIK. Ortho-k can give them good, uncorrected vision for sports throughout their school years.

Because ortho-k is reversible, when a child reaches the age of 18, they have the option of discontinuing their corneal refractive therapy for awhile (allowing their nearsightedness or astigmatism to return and stabilize) and then have LASIK surgery if they no longer want to wear corneal reshaping lenses overnight.

Ortho-k Therapy Options

Finally, there is an alternative to glasses and daytime contact lenses without surgery

Introducing the therapeutic iSee ortho-k contact lens, an advanced corneal refractive therapy contact lens designed to gently reshape the cornea while you sleep.

The purpose of this website is to educate potential patients about how corneal refractive therapy may help them achieve better vision through a treatment process called orthokeratology which is an effective, predictable and reproducible method to correct vision and reduce the rate of change of myopia and astigmatism. There are several names by which orthokeratology treatment goes by such as: corneal refractive therapy (CRT® ), corneal refractive treatment, vision shaping treatment® (VST), and overnight vision correction (OVC).

Ideal Orthokeratology Candidates

Children and adults who are active and involved in sports
Patients looking for an alternative to lasik surgery
Patients who are too young for lasik surgery
Patients who want to correct their myopia without the use of traditional daytime contacts or glasses
Children whose parents want a chance to slow and possibly prevent the progression of their myopia
Patients who have difficulties wearing traditional contact lenses because of dry eyes or allergies

It is important to keep in mind that only a qualified licensed eye care practitioner is able to diagnose and determine the best treatment option that is right for you.

How iSee Corneal Refractive Therapy Works

iSee ortho-k overnight lenses are designed to gently reshape the first few microns of the cornea while you sleep. Once the lenses are removed in the morning, the slight change in the curvature of the corneal surface results in clear vision during waking hours thus reducing the dependence on daytime contact lenses or glasses.

The best part about iSee ortho k lenses is that they are safe, non-surgical, non-invasive and reversible.

iSee Orthokeratology lenses for Athletes and Active lifestyles

Too young or looking for an alternative to Lasik

While surgical vision correction offers the convenience of not having to wear contact lenses or glasses, it is not for everybody:

Like any surgery, there is no guarantee of a perfect outcome with LASIK or other vision correction procedures.
Like any surgery, there are risks of complications from LASIK and other vision correction procedures. Possible complications include glare and halos around lights, persistent dry eyes and reduced visual acuity or contrast sensitivity.
You must be over 18 for most surgical vision correction procedures, eliminating LASIK and related surgeries as options for younger athletes.

Ortho-k, on the other hand, is safe, non-surgical, non-evasive and revesable. In fact, ortho-k is so safe that many eye care doctors are comfortable performing corneal refractive therapy for children as young as 7 or 8 years old.

Additionally, ortho-k is ideal for athletes who are too young for LASIK. Ortho-k can give them good, uncorrected vision for sports throughout their school years.

Because ortho-k is reversible, when a child reaches the age of 18, they have the option of discontinuing their treatment for awhile (allowing their nearsightedness or astigmatism to return and stabilize) and then have LASIK surgery if they no longer want to wear corneal refractive therapy lenses overnight.

Correcting Myopia (nearsightedness)

Otherwise known as nearsightedness or shortsightedness, myopia is a condition in which your near vision is clear but distant objects appear blurred to an uncorrected eye. This is due to the eyeball elongating as we grow during early adolescence. The result is a mismatch between the length of the eye and its optical power causing light entering the eye to focus in front of the retina rather than directly on it.

Using iSee Ortho-k corneal refractive therapy lenses to gently reshape the cornea re-aligns the optical focal point onto the retina allowing patients with nearsighted prescriptions see clearly all day.

Controling Myopia with Ortho-K

Myopic – Nearsightedness Prevention

In addition to Ortho-K corneal reshaping lenses providing nearly immediate results in correcting myopia, several studies also indicate that it helps prevent myopia from worsening in future.

Traditionally, glasses and conventional daytime contact lenses have been prescribed to correct myopia. However, for children, and many adults, this correction does not prevent their myopia from worsening over time thus requiring stronger prescription lenses to achieve the necessary level of correction.

Benefits for Nearsighted Children

Since myopia is often diagnosed at an early age and progressively worsens until late adolescence, early ortho-k treatment offers a proven, reasonable method to significantly alter the progression of myopia from increasing over time. This is important because, if left untreated, high levels of myopia (nearsightedness) may also create increased risks for other eye diseases such as glaucoma and detached retinas.

By wearing iSee ortho-k (orthokeratology) lenses to gently reshape your corneas, you or your child now have an alternative to glasses or daytime contact lenses that may correct your myopia and prevent nearsightedness progression.

Ortho-k lenses are well tolerated by children because while their eyes are closed there is less lid sensation. Additionally, since they will be sleeping in their lenses they will not have to wear corrective lenses during the day. This means they can participate in a variety of activities, including sports, without worrying about glasses or contacts.

Orthokeratology Solution for Dry Eyes and Allergies

Dry eye syndrome has become increasingly prevalent over the past ten years as people spend more time indoors where air-conditioning systems remove moisture from the air. Additionally, the substantially greater time spent staring at PCs, TVs, smartphones and gaming devices reduces blink rates by up to 80% thus dramatically reducing tear flow to the surface of the eyes. Other common causes of dry eye include the aging process, wearing contact lenses, hormone levels, menopause, birth control, diabetes, environmental factors like allergies, wind, and dry climate, medications, and heavy computer usage. Thus dry eye syndrome has become one of the most common eye health issues and led to the development of a major market for proposed remedies yet it is unclear that any one product offers the best solution.

Additionally, increasing numbers of people are affected by allergies including the seasonal effects of hay fever which can make it almost impossible to continue wearing daytime contact lenses. This is where ortho-k contact lenses for dry eyes may offer a new solution since corneal refractive therapy lenses are only worn overnight when sleeping then removed the next morning to give clear natural vision all day long.

Since ortho-k lenses are only worn at night while you sleep, dry eye and allergy sufferers may experience relief due to unrestricted tear flow during waking hours.

Additional Corneal Refractive Therapy Options for Hyperopic and Presbyopic Patients:

While iSee ortho-k corneal refractive therapy lenses are ideal for the myopic patient, they are limited for use on myopic patients only. However, the manufacturer of the iSee Ortho-k lens (GP Specialists, Inc.) also manufactures and distributes the GOV corneal refractive therapy series of lenses. These advanced ortho-k lenses also effectively treat patients with Hyperopia (farsightedness) and Presbyopia (the need for reading glasses).

If you have either of these conditions we may still be able to correct your vision with ortho-k. Simply contact us and request information on a practitioner in your area. After a thorough eye examination, your eye care practitioner will be able to outline the best options for you.

Orthokeratology Precautions

There is a small risk involved when any contact lens is worn. It is not expected that iSee lenses for corneal refractive therapy will provide a risk that is greater than other contact lenses. There were no serious adverse events reported to the FDA in clinical studies.

Only after a thorough eye exam by a licensed physician can it be determined if corneal refractive therapy may benefit you. There are no guarantees that any specific treatment will work for all patients. Reduction for any individual patient’s myopia may vary depending on that patient’s corneal variables and overall results may vary so ask your doctor if iSee corneal refractive therapy is right for you or your child.

Myopia (Nearsightedness) Control with Ortho-k

Research Studies on Ortho-k Corneal Refractive Therapy Lenses on Controlling Myopia Progression

Studies have indicated that Orthokertalogy lenses may be a viable myopia treatment option to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children.

Controlling Myopia (nearsightedness) Progression

Using iSee Ortho-k corneal reshaping lenses to gently reshape the cornea re-aligns the optical focal point onto the retina allowing patients with prescriptions as high as -10.50 to see clearly all day. Although the use of iSee Ortho-k corneal refractive therapy lenses are not FDA approved for myopia progression control, there are many studies that suggest that Ortho-k therapy may reduce the progression of myopia(nearsightedness) in many children and adolescent Ortho-k therapy patients.

Myopia Progression Studies

In addition to Ortho-K, corneal reshaping lenses providing nearly immediate results in correcting myopia. Several studies also indicate that Ortho-K corneal refractive therapy lenses may help prevent myopia from worsening significantly in future.

Traditionally, glasses and conventional daytime contact lenses have been prescribed to correct myopia. However, for children, and many young adults, this correction does not prevent their myopia from worsening over time thus requiring stronger prescription lenses to achieve the necessary level of correction.

Myopia treatment progression studies involving Ortho-k corneal refractive therapy include;

REIM Study (2003). Tom Reim OD,FOAA and colleagues initially published the potential of Ortho-K myopia control in 2003. This study reported that corneal reshaping patients experienced about a sixty percent reduction in the progression of myopia.

LORIC Study (2005). The Longitudinal Orthokeratology Research in Children(LORIC) the Hong Kong pilot study found a much slower rate of childhood myopia progression and axial elongation (47%) among young progressive myopes who underwent Ortho-K corneal reshaping compared to those who wore eyeglasses.

CRAYON Study (2007). The Corneal Reshaping and Yearly Observation of nearsightedness(CRAYON) study, conducted by Jeff Walline OD,FAAO at Ohio State University, confirmed previous studies that Ortho-K corneal reshaping contact lenses lower rates of myopia progression and axial elongation (57%) (Walline, 2008).

SMART Study in progress. Both the LORIC and CRAYON studies were small in scale. The Stabilization of Myopia by Accelerated Reshaping Technique (SMART) study began in 2009 as large scale five year study. Interim results have continued to demonstrate the benefits of wearing Ortho-k corneal reshaping to control the progression of myopia in children and teenagers.

CRIMP Study (2010) . Corneal reshaping inhibits myopia progression(CRIMP) is an Australian ten year retrospective study demonstrated control of myopia progression over a ten year time frame. Again the majority of Ortho-k corneal reshaping contact lens control group patients had a significant reduction in their myopic progression versus the group of patient not using Ortho-k corneal reshaping therapy.

How does Ortho-k (Orthokeratology) work?

Ortho-K (orthokeratology) is a nonsurgical eye treatment using specially designed contact lenses to gently reshape the curvature of the eye while you sleep to improve vision. Ortho-k retainer contact lenses are made of highly oxygen permeable material allowing for safe wear while you sleep.

Ortho-K corneal refractive therapy lenses only affect the cornea of the eye. The cornea shape is critical in maintaining a sharp optical focus on objects by bending the light that enters the eye. The cornea is the clear part of the eye that covers the iris and the pupil. The corneal tissue is soft and can be subtly molded. The ortho-k lenses float on your eye tear film, yet provide enough pressure reshape the cornea. The iSee™ Ortho-K therapy lenses gently reshape the first few microns of the cornea while you sleep.

Once the lenses are removed in the morning, the slight change in the curvature of the corneal surface results in clear vision during waking hours, thus reducing the need of daytime contact lenses or glasses. With iSee™ Ortho-K corneal refractive therapy contact lenses, 20/20 vision can be restored in as little as one day to a few weeks. The best part is that iSee™ cornea refractive therapy is safe, non-surgical, non-invasive and reversible. Results may vary so ask your eye doctor if iSee lenses are right for you or your child.

Ideal Ortho-k (Orthokeratology) candidates are patients who:

do not want to wear contact lenses during the day
are children that are beginning to be nearsighted
are too young for Lasik
are active in sports and water activities
want a less expensive alternative to Lasik
want a non-surgical and non-invasive alternative to surgery

Cleaning your Ortho-k iSee Lenses

Basic Care Instructions GP (Gas Permeable) Ortho-k Contact Lenses

For continued safe and comfortable wearing of your Orthokeratology (Ortho-k) lenses, it is important that you clean and rinse, then disinfect your Ortho-k contact lenses after each removal using the care regimen recommended by your eye care practitioner.

Cleaning and rinsing your Ortho-k contact lenses are necessary to remove mucus, secretions, films, or deposits, which may have accumulated during wearing. The ideal time to clean, rinse and disinfect your lenses is immediately after wearing them. Disinfecting is necessary to destroy harmful germs. You should adhere to a recommended care regimen. Failure to follow the regimen may result in development of serious ocular complications as discussed in the WARNINGS section of the iSee Ortho-k Package Insert.

When you first receive your corneal refractive therapy contact lenses, practice how to put the Ortho-k lenses on and how to remove them while you are in your eye care practitioner’s office. At that time you will be provided with a recommended cleaning and disinfection regimen and, instructions and warnings for Orthokeratology lens care, handling, cleaning, and disinfection. Your eye care practitioner should instruct you about appropriate and adequate procedures and products for your use.

For safe corneal refractive therapy contact lens wear you should know and always practice your lens care routine.

• Always wash, rinse, and dry hands before handling your Orthokeratogy contact lenses.

• Always use fresh unexpired lens care solutions.

• Use the recommended system of lens care which is chemical (not heat) and carefully follow instructions in solution labeling. Different solutions cannot always be used together and not all solutions are safe for use with all lenses. Do not alternate or mix lens care systems unless indicated on solution labeling.

• Always remove, clean, rinse, enzyme and disinfect your Ortho-k lenses according to the schedule prescribed by your eye care practitioner. The use of an enzyme or any cleaning solution does not substitute for disinfection.

• To avoid contamination, do not use saliva or anything other than the recommended solutions for lubricating or rewetting your Ortho-k lenses. Do not put lenses in your mouth.

You should use the Ortho-k lens care solutions as recommended by your eye care practitioner. The directions found in the package inserts from these products should be followed. Failure to adhere to these procedures may result in the development of serious ocular complications. You should not switch from one care system to another unless it has been determined by your eye care practitioner that this is necessary. Do not mix or alternate the disinfection and storage systems unless so indicated on the productlabel. Always wash and rinse your hands thoroughly before handling your contact lenses.

1. Cleaning GP(Gas Permeable) Orthokeratology Contact Lenses

Clean one lens first (always start with the same lens first to avoid mix-ups). Place the lens, front side down, in the palm of the hand and apply several drops of cleaning solution. Using the index finger of the other hand, apply slight pressure in a swirling motion for the time recommended by the cleaning solution manufacturer. Do not clean the GP lens by rubbing it between the thumb and index fingers, as this may cause lens warpage.

2. Rinse

Rinse the Ortho-k lens thoroughly with saline to remove the cleaning solution, mucus, and film from the Ortho-k lens surface. Place that lens into the correct chamber of the lens storage case. Then repeat the clean and rinse procedure for the second Ortho-k lens.

3. Disinfect

After cleaning and rinsing the Ortho-k contact lenses disinfect them by using the system recommended by your eye care practitioner and/or the lens manufacturer. Follow the instructions provided in the disinfection solution labeling.