Can my child have OrthoK?
Patients as young as seven to nine years old are excellent candidates and we make the decision based on their maturity, hygiene and motivation. These students are able to play, swim, participate in sports and other healthy activities without the problems of glasses or daytime contact lens wear.
Perhaps the most exciting candidate for OrthoK is the young patient who has become nearsighted for the first time when there is a strong family history of nearsightedness progressing rapidly during childhood. The child whose nearsightedness has been proven to already be progressing is another excellent candidate. There is growing evidence that OrthoK can stop this progression. This is discussed further in Controlling Myopia.
Am I too old for OrthoK?
Probably not! Patients over forty years old will generally need to consider the fact that near reading vision may be blurred, the same thing that happens to everyone with good distance vision as they get older. This condition (presbyopia) can be treated by modifying the power of OrthoK lenses, wearing reading glasses or other options that can be discussed with your doctor. Many patients in their sixties and seventies are wearing OrthoK lenses successfully.
What do I do next?
The only one who can really tell you if you are a candidate is your eye doctor after they have examined you. We urge you to contact them and schedule an appointment. If your doctor does not perform OrthoK, then select Find A Doctor from the menu, enter your zip code and distance to search. No doctor will guarantee results but your chance of success increases with doctors who have a history of successfully fitting these specialized lenses.
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