Frequently Asked Questions

Ortopad^® Bamboo patches are made of a soft, natural bamboo material which allows the skin to breathe naturally and minimizes eyelid perspiration. With the bamboo plant growing up to 3 feet per day, bamboo is an eco-friendly material. The adhesive is hypo-allergenic and latex-free, so skin irritation and allergic reactions are rare. The Ortopad^® patch is free from rubber, resins and gluten. Ortopad^® patches have a special shape with nasal slits cut into the patch for a better fit close to the nose, allowing the patch to fit well under eye glasses. The opaque black inlay assures maximum shielding from light.

Ortopad patches are supplied in boxes of 50 patches, with 10 patches of 5 pre-selected designs. Ortopad Pick a Patch are 10 patches per bag and have quite an array of designs to choose from. Check out all the designs in our Patches & Accessories section.

The Junior size is recommended for the infant and up to 2 years of age with a patch measurement of 2-5/8” x 1-31/32” (67 x 50 mm). The Medium size is for ages 2 to 4 years with a patch measurement of 2-63/64” x 2-1/8” (76 x 54mm). The Regular size our largest patch for children older than 4 years with a patch measurement of 3-11/32" x 2-5/16” (85 x 59mm). The patch should cover the entire eye area, from above the brow and down onto the cheekbone. If the patch falls into the bony area of the eye itself, then a larger patch is needed.

There are several reasons why a patch that covers the entire eye area are necessary: It keeps the adhesive out of the eyebrow area so that removal of the patch is painless. It is more comfortable, as the patch is further away from the eye allowing the child to open the eye. Most importantly, since the eye can be opened, a properly sized patch has a properly sized padded inlay that will provide maximal protection from light.

The adhesive patch should be angled so the more narrow part crosses the bridge of the nose and the wider part is on the cheekbone and the bony temple area. Make certain that it adheres well so that there are no “peek holes”.

Orthoptists help detect, diagnose, and treat ocular conditions having to do with binocular vision (how the two eyes work together) and ocular motility (eye muscles and movement). Depending on what your ophthalmology visit finds, additional visits with an orthoptist may be recommended for more measurements, patching follow-ups, orthoptic exercises, or prism evaluations.

A lazy eye can get to the same visual acuity as the fellow non-lazy eye after appropriate treatment, such as patching. There are no set standard rules for patching. It depends where the child is in the patching process. If a child starts patching, patching regimens initially require a significant number of hours per day. If this vision is back to normal, maintenance patching may be required to keep the vision at that level.

The length of patching time per day required for your child will depend on the severity of his or her condition. This should be discussed with your child's eye doctor.

Ortopad^® orders are normally shipped within 24 hours of receiving the order. To get an order out the same day, orders must be received before noon, MST. Orders are shipped from our distribution center in Tucson, Arizona. Free shipping is processed by United States Postal Service Ground Advantage service. Please allow 3-5 days for shipping from Arizona to East coast, and to Midwest and West coast allow 2-4 days. In the event your order takes longer, refer to your order history for your tracking number, which can be tracked at USPS.com. You can also call your local post office that delivers your mail and they might have some additional information about your package.

To view your history, you will need to log into your ortopadusa.com account. Click on the “Logged in as” link in the blue bar on the top right side.

Absolutely. Please call us at 1-866-678-6723 or email us at orders@ortopadusa.com to start the return process. Refund amount is determined on the quantity and the condition of the patches you are returning.