Kids and glasses don’t always mix. Especially kids who are active in sports, dancing or gymnastics. Lost or broken glasses are a common occurrence and glasses can really get in the way of the fun. Sports goggles are bulky and uncomfortable and don’t fit very well under helmets. Contact lenses can help, but they are not ideal on dusty ball fields or for swimming.
What if there were a safe, noninvasive solution that would allow your child to stop wearing glasses or contact lenses completely during the day? And, what if this solution would also slow down the progression of their nearsightedness in the process?
CRT- short for Corneal Refractive Therapy (also known as Orthokeratology or Ortho-K) is a non-surgical therapy which corrects nearsightedness. It can be used for children, teens or adults and eliminates the need for vision correction during the day. One simply sleeps in a pair of specially designed rigid gas permeable contact lenses every night. The lenses reshape the corneas in order to focus light directly on the retinas for clear vision all day long. The fitting process takes about a month, but most patients will achieve optimum stable vision within 10-14 days. CRT will not make any permanent changes to the eye (within 72 hours of not wearing the lenses for sleep, the eyes will revert to their original condition) so the patient will still be a candidate for lasik or other refractive surgery in the future if they so choose. Additionally, children who wear CRT lenses will be less nearsighted overall.
CRT lenses are painless, although there will be some initial awareness of the lenses, and there is no perceptible sensation related to the changing of the shape of the cornea. CRT lenses are replaced yearly, and vision insurance can be used to cover part of the cost.
The doctors at Koetting Eye Center have a great deal of confidence in Corneal Refractive Therapy and they have a great deal of experience in fitting and managing this highly successful treatment. Additionally, they continue to participate in the highest level of training and they are members of the American Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control.
Make your appointment today to see if your child is a candidate for CRT.
