Ortho-K and Invisalens
Ortho-K for Myopia Control
Beyond correcting vision, Ortho-K changes how light focuses in the periphery of the retina. That peripheral defocus signal is understood to slow the axial elongation of the eye that drives worsening myopia in children.
In short
Corrects vision tonight and slows the prescription getting worse over years.
A child's prescription getting stronger every year is not just an inconvenience. Myopia progresses because the eyeball is physically elongating, and a longer eye carries a permanently raised lifetime risk of retinal detachment, myopic maculopathy, glaucoma and early cataract. Those risks scale with the final length of the eye, not with how thick the glasses look.
That is what makes myopia control different from simply updating a prescription. Standard single vision glasses correct central vision but leave light focusing behind the retina in the periphery, and that peripheral signal appears to encourage the eye to keep growing. Ortho-K changes the sign of that signal. The reshaped cornea brings peripheral light to a focus in front of the peripheral retina instead of behind it, removing the growth cue.
The practical appeal for families is that one intervention does two jobs. The child sees clearly all day with nothing on their face, plays sport without glasses, and the underlying progression is being addressed at the same time.
What to expect
- Axial length matters more than the prescription
- The measurement that tracks real progression is the length of the eye, so baseline measurements are taken and compared at each annual review.
- Parents are taught the handling
- Younger children are fitted successfully all the time, with a parent doing insertion and removal at first and the child taking over as they are ready.
- Honest expectations
- Myopia control slows progression. It does not stop it, and no method available anywhere does.
Our process
Baseline myopia assessment60 to 90 minutes
Full eye health check, cycloplegic refraction where appropriate, corneal topography, and a record of the starting point against which everything later is compared.
Discussion of the optionsincluded
Ortho-K, soft multifocal daily lenses and atropine each suit different children. The choice is made with the family rather than for them.
Fitting and training1 to 2 weeks to lenses
Custom lenses are designed and made, then insertion, removal and cleaning are taught to whoever will be doing it.
Settling reviewsfirst month
Morning after review then further checks as the correction stabilises.
Progression trackingevery 6 to 12 months
Ongoing review comparing against baseline, so the family can see whether progression has actually slowed.
What is included
- Baseline and follow up progression measurements
- Custom overnight lens design and manufacture
- Handling training for the child and the parent
- Structured follow up through the settling period
- Annual reassessment with direct comparison against baseline
What this does not do
- Progression is slowed, not halted. Some change should still be expected each year.
- It requires consistent nightly wear. Sporadic use gives neither the vision nor the control benefit.
- It suits families who will keep follow up appointments, because the value is in the tracking as much as the lens.
Questions and answers
How young can a child start?
Children as young as six or seven are fitted routinely, and age matters less than motivation and whether a parent is willing to help with handling at first. Starting earlier generally means more benefit, because progression is fastest in the early years.
How much does it actually slow progression?
Published studies of overnight lens wear consistently report meaningful reductions in axial elongation compared with single vision glasses. The honest answer for any individual child is that we measure their own axial length over time and show you the comparison, rather than quoting a population average as if it were a promise.
Is my child too young to handle the lenses?
Handling is taught to the parent first. Many families run it as a parent led routine for the first year or two, with the child taking over when they are ready. It is one of the reasons overnight wear suits children well: it happens at home, at a fixed time, with an adult present.
What if we stop?
The vision correction reverses within a week or two. Whether progression resumes at its previous rate depends on the child's age, and this is worth discussing before starting rather than after.
Talk to someone about ortho-k for myopia control
Appointments are scheduled two per hour, so there is time to answer questions properly. Call (480) 706-3937 or request a time online.