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Ortho-K Vs. Lasik

Ortho-K, technically called orthokeratology, is a non-surgical vision correction procedure that uses contact lenses, while the alternative vision solution is LASIK treatment, an irreversible laser surgery procedure.

  1. Uses

    • Both LASIK eye surgery and Ortho-K are used to treat nearsightedness, technically referred to as myopia, which implies that the cornea (the clear front "window") of the eye is misshaped, and light doesn't focus properly on the retina, making distant objects blurry. Astigmatism can also be treated by both procedures.

    Functions

    • Both eye procedures aim to improve vision by addressing the cornea of the eye. Both procedures aim to reshape and flatten the cornea so that light reaches the retina properly, and distant objects are easier to see without daily use of glasses.

    Procedural Differences

    • Ortho-K patients wear special contact lenses during the night that flatten the cornea, so that patients do not need any contacts or glasses for vision improvement the following day. LASIK is a laser surgery procedure that flattens the cornea permanently with laser technology. It is completed within 15 minutes.

    Results

    • Vision correction is immediate after LASIK laser surgery and is permanent. If post-LASIK vision does not reach desired goal, an additional LASIK procedure can be performed. Ortho-K results are shown after two weeks of nightly wear, according to AllAboutVision.com, and wearing lenses nightly is required thereafter to sustain vision improvement.

    Lasting Effects

    • The effects of LASIK laser surgery are permanent and cannot be reversed (though an additional LASIK procedure may be performed to further enhance vision). Ortho-K, however, does not yield permanent effects and may be discontinued; also, it may be supplemented with or replaced by alternative methods of vision enhancement.

    Costs

    • According to AllAboutVision.com, eye care practitioners will, on average, charge $800 to $1,500 to treat both eyes with Ortho-K. LASIK laser eye surgery is more expensive: The same site says that, as of 2009, $2,140 is the average cost for all eye laser surgery correction treatments, including LASIK.

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