Dr. Joseph Lilley earned his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Oregon and went on to complete his Doctorate of Optometry at Pacific University, College of Optometry in Forest Grove Oregon. He has been in practice since 1975 and recognized with the Orthokeratology Research Award from the National Eye Research Foundation. He has served as a board member of the International Orthokeratology Section and Vice President of the Sacramento Valley Optometric Association. California has been his home since 1978.
He was ‘blessed’ with poor vision as a child and decided at an early age that ‘seeing well’ was his passion. His vision continued to worsen as a child and he had uncomfortable contact lenses through high school and college. “In optometry school I figured out how to custom-fit contact lenses, fitting myself with my first-ever comfortable pair of hard lenses. Ahhhh!! After graduating he got a US patent on the technique.
When Dr. Lilley learned that you could improve eyesight with a non-surgical procedure called Orthokeratology, he again decided to use his own eyes and be his first case study. “Now we use Ortho-K Night Retainers not only to improve vision, but also to stabilize vision to keep it from getting worse. (Prevention!)” He has helped people from 34 different countries and 49 states in the US.
“It is really exciting to focus on prevention.” He wishes his doctors would have told him about Ortho-K when he was a kid…instead of increasing his prescription each year has his vison worsened. “We need to give kids a fair chance with their eyes. Myopia, or nearsightedness, has increased 66% in the last 30 years! Ortho-K lenses can make a huge difference. Every time I see a youngster come in after the very first night of wearing their Ortho-K Night Retainers, and take their lenses out and read the 20/20 line, it warms my heart. “
Dr. Lilley has helped pilots, police officers, firefighters, and others who depend on their vision to qualify for their jobs without glasses for their work. “I love optometry; it allows me to connect with each person and find out what their specific needs are.” Dr. Lilley has 40 years of experience helping people of all ages with all types of eye/vision concerns.
He fit his wife 15 years ago with Ortho-K night retainers when she started to have vision issues. “When she told me, ‘I don’t want to wear glasses…Fix Me!’ I said OK.” She wears her night retainers to correct her vison while she sleeps and takes her contacts out in the morning to enjoy the day without contacts or glasses. “She is a happy camper!”
Dr. Lilley, an avid snow skier, credits snowboarding with finding his wife. They met snowboarding in Montana and married a year later windsurfing in Hawaii. “I’m a lucky man that she shares my enthusiasm for outdoor adventures.” In the winter they’ll often ski and board on the same day, “using different muscles so we can stay on the mountain longer.” They also enjoy snow shoeing, cycling, hiking, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, scuba diving, camping. “Our time off is generally planned around one or several of these activities.”
They have a cat (who occasionally takes walks with them on her leash), 2 fish (that torment the cat) and a yard full of well-fed birds.
Ocular Specialties:
- Keratoconus
- Hard to fit contact lens cases
- Orthokeratology
- Myopia Control
- Bifocal Contact Lenses
