The Raleigh Contact Lens Institute

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Could Ortho-K Be the Right Choice for Your Child?

As parents, ensuring your child’s healthy vision is one of your top priorities. If their nearsightedness (myopia) seems to worsen each year, it’s natural to feel concerned about their future eye health. Orthokeratology, or Ortho-K, offers a safe, non-surgical solution that uses custom-designed contact lenses worn overnight to gently reshape the cornea. The benefit? Clear vision all day without glasses or daytime contact lenses — along with the added advantage of slowing down myopia progression in children.
  • How Ortho-K Works

Ortho-K lenses are gas-permeable, specially designed contacts that your child wears while sleeping. Overnight, they gently flatten the cornea so that light focuses properly on the retina. Once removed in the morning, your child can enjoy clear, natural vision throughout the day. Since the effect is temporary, consistent nightly wear is needed to maintain results.

  • Which Children Benefit Most from Ortho-K?

Not every child will be the perfect fit, but those who often benefit include:

  • Kids aged 6–18 whose nearsightedness is still increasing
  • Children who play sports or live very active lives
  • Kids who dislike or struggle with glasses or daytime contact lenses
  • Patients with healthy eyes and no major corneal issues
  • The Myopia Management Advantage

Research has shown that Ortho-K can dramatically reduce the rate at which myopia progresses in children. This matters because higher levels of nearsightedness later in life are linked to serious eye diseases such as retinal detachment, glaucoma, and myopic maculopathy. By slowing progression, Ortho-K provides not just freedom from glasses but also long-term protection for your child’s vision.

  • What Happens During the Fitting?

At the Charlotte Contact Lens Institute, we tailor each Ortho-K fitting with precision and care. Using advanced diagnostic tools such as corneal topography, we create lenses customized to your child’s eyes. We also provide training for insertion, removal, and care, and follow up regularly to monitor progress and comfort

  • Is Ortho-K Right for Your Child?

If your child’s prescription continues to change every year, or if glasses interfere with their daily activities, Ortho-K could be the solution you’ve been searching for. Early treatment can make a lasting difference in protecting their long-term eye health.

  • Frequently Asked Questions
At what age can a child begin Ortho-K?
Many children start around ages 6–8, depending on prescription strength and ability to manage the lenses.
Yes. When properly fitted and monitored by an experienced optometrist, Ortho-K is considered safe and effective.
Some children achieve clearer vision after the first night, with most reaching full effect within about a week.

Most children enjoy clear vision throughout the day. However, if they skip a night of lens wear, glasses may be needed temporarily.

No. The vision correction is reversible. If lens wear is stopped, the cornea returns to its original shape.

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