Ortho-K: Clear Vision All Day
What is orthokeratology?
Ortho-k lenses are rigid gas-permeable contact lenses worn overnight. They apply hydraulic pressure while you sleep, temporarily reshaping the cornea's central surface. By morning, that reshaped cornea gives you clear vision that holds for 16 to 24 hours.
The effect reverses. Stop wearing the lenses and your cornea gradually returns to its original shape over a few days to weeks. This makes ortho-k practical for children whose prescriptions are still changing: you are not committing to a fixed outcome, and if circumstances change, you simply stop.
Who is ortho-k right for?
Ortho-k works best for patients with mild to moderate myopia, generally up to about -6.00D, with low to moderate astigmatism. Good candidates include:
- ✓Children and teenagers with progressing myopia, where slowing progression is the primary goal
- ✓Athletes and active adults who want to be free of glasses and daytime contacts during sports, swimming, or outdoor activities
- ✓For children who are interested in vision correction procedures such as LASIK in the future, stabilizing their prescription with orthokeratology lenses can reduce possible complications with laser correction procedures.
- ✓Anyone who finds soft contacts uncomfortable during the day
Ortho-k is generally not suitable for high degrees of hyperopia or significant irregular astigmatism. An assessment will determine whether it fits your prescription and eye shape.
How ortho-k works
Map
We map your corneal curvature using corneal topography. The lenses are ordered custom to your eye's exact shape.
Sleep
You insert them at bedtime and remove them in the morning. Most patients notice meaningful improvement within the first couple of nights. Full, stable correction usually takes two to four weeks.
See
Your cornea holds its reshaped profile for 16 to 24 hours. You go about your day without glasses or contacts, then wear the lenses again overnight.
Ortho-K for children: what the myopia research actually shows
Myopia is not just a prescription number. It is a structural change: the eye elongates, and higher elongation over a lifetime raises the risk of retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration. Slowing that elongation during childhood reduces long-term risk, not just the glasses script.
Ortho-k appears to work by changing how peripheral light lands on the retina, reducing the signal that drives continued eye elongation. At TVTO, we run topography at every follow-up so you can see exactly how your child's cornea is responding over time.
The ortho-k process at Toronto Vision Therapy & Optometry
Our optometrists have specialty training in myopia management and specialty lens fitting.
- 1Initial consultation: goals, prescription history, lifestyle, and candidacy discussion
- 2Corneal topography to map the eye precisely
- 3Custom lens ordering to your corneal profile
- 4Fitting and training session: insertion, removal, and overnight wear instructions
- 5Follow-up at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month with topography checks and fit adjustment if needed
- 6Annual monitoring and lens replacement as needed
Frequently asked questions
How long until I see results?
Are ortho-k lenses safe for children?
What happens if we stop?
Can adults use ortho-k just for lifestyle reasons?
Am I a candidate for Ortho-K if I have astigmatism, dry eye, or already wear RGP lenses?
How much do Ortho-K lenses cost?
How often do Ortho-K lenses need to be replaced?
Ortho-k is not for everyone. For the right patient, it changes daily life.
Book a consultation to find out if you or your child qualify.
Book an Ortho-K Consultation416-498-3438 | 5 Fairview Mall Dr, Suite 410, North York
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