Clinically Reviewed By
Dr. James H. Singletary, OD, FIAOMC
Co-Founder · Myopia Control Specialist · Eye Medics Optometry
Last reviewed: March 2026 · View full bio →
Quick Answer: What is sleepSEE® Ortho-K and who is it for?
What Is sleepSEE® Ortho-K?
sleepSEE® is Eye Medics' branded orthokeratology (Ortho-K) program — a non-surgical, FDA-approved vision correction treatment using specially designed rigid gas-permeable lenses worn only at night while you sleep.
Unlike glasses or daytime contacts that simply compensate for blurry vision, sleepSEE® lenses gently reshape the cornea overnight. Remove them in the morning and your child sees clearly all day — no glasses, no daytime contacts.
More importantly, sleepSEE® is one of the few treatments proven to slow the progression of myopia — reducing axial elongation by 43–64% compared to glasses alone.
How It Works: The Night-to-Day Process
The sleepSEE® process is elegantly simple. Six steps — three at night, three in the morning — and your child wakes up to clear vision every day.
Night
Bedtime routine
Insert the lenses
Takes less than 60 seconds — just like regular contacts.
Sleep normally
The lenses gently reshape the cornea's surface overnight.
Cornea reshapes
Light now focuses precisely on the retina — no glasses needed.
Day
All day long
Remove the lenses
Wake up and take them out — that's it.
Enjoy clear vision
No glasses. No daytime contacts. Crystal-clear vision all day.
Do anything
Sports, swimming, school — complete freedom without eyewear.
The Science of Corneal Reshaping
The cornea is the clear dome at the front of the eye. In a myopic eye, the cornea is slightly too steep, causing light to focus in front of the retina rather than on it — producing blurry distance vision.
sleepSEE® lenses apply gentle, precisely calculated hydraulic pressure to the central cornea overnight. This temporarily flattens the central zone by a fraction of a millimeter — enough to redirect light perfectly onto the retina.
The peripheral cornea simultaneously develops a myopic defocus zone, which signals the eye to stop growing longer — the mechanism behind myopia control.
Proven to Slow Myopia Progression
A 2023 study published in Optometry and Vision Science confirmed what we have seen in our Fayetteville practice for years: orthokeratology consistently reduces axial eye elongation — the root cause of myopia progression — by 43 to 64% compared to single-vision glasses.
This is not just about clearer vision today. It is about protecting your child from high myopia complications — retinal detachment, glaucoma, and maculopathy — that become significantly more likely as prescriptions climb past −5.00 or −6.00.
43–64%
Reduction in myopia progression
20+
Years of Ortho-K experience at Eye Medics
1,500+
Five-star Google reviews from families
#1
NC's first designated sleepSEE® clinic
Compare Your Options
Not all vision correction is the same. Here is how Ortho-K stacks up against the alternatives.
| Feature | Ortho-K sleepSEE® | Glasses | LASIK | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daytime glasses-free | — | — | ||
| Slows myopia progression | — | — | — | |
| Safe for children | — | |||
| FDA-approved | ||||
| Reversible / non-surgical | — | |||
| No daytime lens care | — | — | ||
| Active lifestyle friendly | — |
Is Your Child a Good Candidate?
Most children and teens with myopia are excellent candidates. Here are the typical eligibility criteria we look for:
Getting Started: Your Path to Glasses-Free Days
From first consultation to clear vision, most patients see results within the first 1–2 weeks.
Comprehensive Consultation & Corneal Mapping
60–90 min visitWe perform a thorough eye health exam and corneal topography scan — a painless, detailed map of your child's cornea — to confirm candidacy and design the perfect lens.
Custom Lens Fitting & Training
30–45 min visitYour custom-designed lenses arrive within 1–2 weeks. We walk you and your child through insertion, removal, and care — until you're both completely comfortable.
Overnight Wear & Ongoing Monitoring
Ongoing careWear the lenses overnight and wake up to clear vision. We schedule follow-up visits at 1 week, 1 month, and every 6 months to monitor progress and optimize results.
Lens Care & Safety
sleepSEE® lenses are rigid gas-permeable (RGP) lenses — a category with a decades-long safety record. Proper care is straightforward and takes about 2 minutes each morning.
Real Patient Results
Real prescription trajectories from sleepSEE® patients at Eye Medics. Names changed to protect privacy. Results vary by individual.
Age 9 — Started sleepSEE®
Before
−2.25 / −2.50
After 3 years
−2.50 / −2.75
Progression nearly halted. Without treatment, projected to reach −5.00 by age 16.
Age 11 — Started sleepSEE®
Before
−3.00 / −3.25
After 2 years
−3.25 / −3.50
Minimal progression over 2 years. Axial length measurements confirmed stabilization.
Age 13 — Started sleepSEE®
Before
−4.50 / −4.75
After 18 months
−4.75 / −5.00
Significant slowdown in a high-risk teen. Parent reported improved confidence in sports.
Individual results vary. Prescription data shown represents axial length-confirmed cases. sleepSEE® does not guarantee specific outcomes.
North Carolina's First sleepSEE® Clinic
Designated Myopia Control Clinic
Eye Medics is the first designated sleepSEE® Myopia Control Clinic in North Carolina — reflecting years of specialized training, thousands of successful fittings, and a commitment to staying at the forefront of myopia science.
Dr. James H. Singletary, OD, FIAOMC
Fellow of the International Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control — a distinction held by fewer than 300 optometrists in the United States.
What Fort Bragg Families Are Saying
“The results from Ortho-K are amazing! My son is now glasses-free during the day and his prescription has stabilized. The team guided us through the whole process.”
Maria H. • Fayetteville, NC
“I'm so glad we found Eye Medics for our daughter's myopia. The overnight lenses are easy to use and have made a huge difference. She loves not wearing glasses at school!”
Sarah P. • Fort Bragg, NC
Hear From sleepSEE® Patients
Real families share their experience with sleepSEE® orthokeratology — in their own words.
sleepSEE® — How Orthokeratology Works
Brand overview · 2 min
Gregory's sleepSEE® Story
Marshall's sleepSEE® Story
Nicolas's sleepSEE® Story
Denice's sleepSEE® Story
Fatima's sleepSEE® Story
Cristina's sleepSEE® Story
Videos courtesy of the sleepSEE® patient community. Individual results may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
References
- Cho P, Cheung SW. Retardation of myopia in orthokeratology (ROMIO) study: a 2-year randomized clinical trial. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012;53(11):7077–7085.
- Santodomingo-Rubido J, Villa-Collar C, Gilmartin B, Gutiérrez-Ortega R. Myopia control with orthokeratology contact lenses in Spain: refractive and biometric changes. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012;53(8):5060–5065.
- Hiraoka T, Kakita T, Okamoto F, Takahashi H, Oshika T. Long-term effect of overnight orthokeratology on axial length elongation in childhood myopia. Ophthalmology. 2012;119(12):2505–2510.
- Charm J, Cho P. High myopia — partial reduction orthokeratology (HM-PRO): study design. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2013;36(4):164–170.
- Walline JJ, Lindsley KB, Vedula SS, Cotter SA, Mutti DO, Twelker JD. Interventions to slow progression of myopia in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;1:CD004916.
- Bullimore MA, Johnson LA. Overnight orthokeratology. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2017;40(3):164–169.
