Orthokeratology Fees

Orthokeratology Costs Less Than Glasses, Contact Lenses, or Eye Surgery over time

Over time, orthokeratology will cost you less than years of buying stronger & stronger glasses and disposable contact lenses, not to mention replacing lost or broken pairs. And of course orthoK isn’t nearly as expensive as laser eye surgery (LASIK), which can be around $5000-$6000 at reputable surgeries.

Expertise and Service

Fitting ortho-K lenses requires more expertise than fitting regular contact lenses. All optometrists at Custom EyeCare are experienced members of the OSO, the professional body of orthokeratologists in Australia. Often, several pairs of custom lenses needs to be ordered to achieve the right fit and ‘tweak’ the best vision, and sometimes extra unscheduled visits are needed to give you the best vision. Our orthokeratology fees fully cover you for as many lens changes as are needed, and as many fitting visits as are needed, to arrive at the best possible result for your vision.

Before You Start: Initial (Baseline) Eye Examination

Before commencing orthokeratology, we start with a comprehensive baseline eye examination. This includes an up-to-date vision measurement (refraction), a comprehensive assessment of your eye health, including both retinal photography and slit lamp biomicroscope photography, and precise mapping of the shape of your eyes (corneal topography). This allows us to have a discussion about your personal suitability for orthoK and what to expect. The fee for this consultation is $196, and Medicare offers a modest rebate on this initial consultation.

Orthokeratology Program Costs

Once you’ve had your baseline eye examination and corneal topography mapping showing that you’re suitable, the total cost for the orthokeratology treatment program is between $2210 and $3360, depending on your level of myopia, the type of lenses required, and the degree of difficulty involved. This includes your first pair of lenses, any lens modifications or remakes required during the initial fitting process, and all fitting and follow-up visits for the first six months.

Private Health Fund Rebate

Private Health Funds with ancillary (extras) cover may pay you a small rebate for orthokeratology lenses – the item number to ask your health fund about is 812. However the private health funds generally don’t recognise orthokeratology as a distinct special treatment, so the rebate they pay is the same as for the more conventional day-time wear hard contact lenses which have been around for decades.

Beyond Your Initial Fitting Period

After the initial six month fitting & follow up period, you only need periodic review eye examinations with corneal mapping every six months, and lens (mould) replacement perhaps every 12-18 months or so, although if you are thorough with cleaning your lenses they may last even longer than this.

Summary

So while an orthokeratology treatment program has a higher up-front cost than a simple pair of glasses, the cost savings over time, along with the protection against worsening vision, make it excellent value.