OK, What Can We Do?
The team of experts at Specialty Eye is happy to offer several management options for your child’s myopia. Our recommended strategy will depend on how far along their myopia is, their age, and their comfort level with drops or contact lenses.
Atropine
Low-dose atropine has been proven to slow the advancement of myopia in children. Typically given as eye drops at bedtime, atropine isn’t able to reverse the effects of myopia, but it has slowed its progression. This innovative treatment could help reduce your child’s risk of developing high myopia, which can increase the risk of eye diseases and conditions.
At Specialty Eye, our myopia specialists typically prescribe atropine in combination with other treatments in order to maximize the effects of treatment.
Soft Multifocal Contacts
Children as young as 4 have been able to wear multifocal contact lenses comfortably to help slow the progression of myopia. Multifocal contact lenses allow them to see clearly at all distances. Multifocal lenses—which feature multiple prescriptions in a concentric ring pattern—cue the eyes to stop growing (elongating), while quickly bringing light into focus on the retina.
Ortho-K
Sleep shaping orthokeratology, or ortho-k, is a comfortable glasses-free way of correcting vision. Through a special retainer contact lens like device worn overnight, patients awake with better vision. And best of all, it slows the progression of myopia. What could be better than slowly improving vision by gently reshape the eye while your child is in dreamland? The next day, they wake up, remove the retainers, and go about their day. Sleep shaping lenses has been worn by hundreds of children within our practice and has become a preferred method for parents and children to slow the progression of their myopia.
The Long & Short on Myopia Management
Myopia is a condition that typically begins to take shape in early childhood. Also known as nearsightedness, it occurs when the eyeball grows too big and results in an impaired ability to clearly view objects in the distance.
Additionally, the advancement of myopia can limit patients from having refractive surgery when they get older, and worse yet, is a significant risk factor for many eye diseases that we get when we are older.
Millions of Americans suffer from the ramifications of myopia and the number continues to rise due to our lifestyle.
Thanks to advances in modern medicine and optometric research, we now know that we can control the progression of myopia safely while our eyes are still developing.
Naturally, we want to protect children’s vision and reduce the progression of myopia. If your child is myopic, you can get started on their myopia control right away. The sooner we can start myopia management, the more impactful our interventions can be!
So, What is Myopia?
When our eyes are developing and growing as children, all of the structures, the cornea, the lens, and the retina must be precisely aligned to see clearly. But sometimes, the eye is too big or their cornea becomes too curved for how big the eye is.
When this happens, it causes light to refract inaccurately, rather than creating a pinpoint focus on the retina at the back of the eye (the part of our eyes responsible for transmitting light into images). This causes blurry distance vision.
Recent research has indicated that even small amounts of myopia increases our risk of developing eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma, and myopic macular degeneration.
Reshape Their Vision
If your child has myopia, starting them on a myopia management program as early as possible can help slow the progression of their vision problem. Without myopia control, their eyes may continue to grow, causing further problems with their sight and eye health later in life.
Your little one’s optometrist may recommend myopia management following their comprehensive eye exam. If you suspect your child may be having difficulty seeing, schedule their appointment right away.
Our Locations
Bellevue
Steps away from beautiful Bellevue Square Mall, our office is conveniently located just off the I-405 on 106 Avenue NE.
- 225 106 Ave. NE
- Bellevue, WA 98004
Hours of Operation
- Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday: Closed
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed
Kirkland
Next to the Evergreen Hospital, our convenient location is on NE 128 Street, just off the I-405.
- 11830 NE 128 St., Suite 1
- Kirkland, WA 98034
Hours of Operation
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed
Seattle
Only blocks from Pike Place Market, our office is on the corner of 4th Avenue and Stewart Street.
- 1911 4th Ave.
- Seattle, WA 98101
Hours of Operation
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: Closed
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: Closed
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed
Our Specialty Eye Care
Our Brands
See What People Say About Us
“All the associates here are wonderful! Everyone is thoughtful and accommodating. I have to use a walker and ever single person was patient and helpful in maneuvering me to be comfortable with doing certain test. In addition, my doctor is amazing!”
Andrea Norton
“The office is very informative. The Dr’s and staff are great and we look forward to starting our vision therapy!!”
Cori Brundage Frandsen
“My son has been going here since he was 1. We’ve never had a bad experience, and we’ve had a lot of visits because of his vision problems.”
Deanna Dooley Stanley
Our Expert Blog
What Are Specialty Contact Lenses?
Contact LensesContact lens options appear to be limitless. While soft contact lenses are the most popular among patients and eye care professionals, numerous other contact lens options can provide comfortable, clear vision. Rigid gas permeable lenses, as well as newer scleral or hybrid lenses, are commonly used to provide visual correction for those who struggle with […]
Can Allergies Cause Dry Eye?
Dry EyeUncategorizedDry eye and allergies are common eye problems. If you’ve ever typed your symptoms in a search engine, you’ve likely noticed similarities between these conditions. So, is the link more than a coincidence, or can allergies lead to dry eye? Unfortunately, allergies can contribute to dry eye. But the conditions are different. Knowing the difference […]
How to Fit Multifocal Contact Lenses
Contact LensesChances are, if you are reading this you’re like a couple of our doctors and are over 40. (It’s hard to believe that we’re here, but it’s happened.) Along with needing a standby fire truck when we blow out our birthday candles, in our 40s we tend to start showing our age. Fine lines start […]
What Are Specialty Contact Lenses?
Contact lens options appear to be limitless. While soft contact lenses are the most popular among patients and eye care professionals, numerous other contact lens options can provide comfortable, clear vision. Rigid gas permeable lenses, as well as newer scleral or hybrid lenses, are commonly used to provide visual correction for those who struggle with […]
Can Allergies Cause Dry Eye?
Dry eye and allergies are common eye problems. If you’ve ever typed your symptoms in a search engine, you’ve likely noticed similarities between these conditions. So, is the link more than a coincidence, or can allergies lead to dry eye? Unfortunately, allergies can contribute to dry eye. But the conditions are different. Knowing the difference […]
How to Fit Multifocal Contact Lenses
Chances are, if you are reading this you’re like a couple of our doctors and are over 40. (It’s hard to believe that we’re here, but it’s happened.) Along with needing a standby fire truck when we blow out our birthday candles, in our 40s we tend to start showing our age. Fine lines start […]
Check us out on Instagram
-
Bellevue
- 225 106 Ave. NE
- Bellevue, WA 98004
-
P: 425-454-2028
-
Seattle
- 1911 4th Ave.
- Seattle, WA 98101
-
P: 206-622-4828
-
Kirkland
- 11830 NE 128 St., Suite 1
- Kirkland, WA 98034
-
P: 425-821-8900