The Childhood Myopia Epidemic
If your child is nearsighted, there’s finally something you can do besides getting a stronger glasses prescription every year. Ortho K Specialty is a new kind of vision care center dedicated to treating myopia in children, working alongside your regular eye doctor rather than replacing them.
Request a Consultation or call (646) 798-7140.
Why Myopia Rates Are Rising
Myopia among children has been climbing for years, driven by more near-work, increased screen time, and less time spent outdoors. Unlike a general optical store, Ortho K Specialty doesn’t sell glasses. Much like an orthodontist focuses on braces while working alongside your family dentist, we focus exclusively on treating childhood myopia in partnership with your child’s regular eye doctor.
Why Untreated Myopia Progression Matters
Increasing myopia isn’t just an inconvenience of stronger lenses each year. Higher levels of myopia significantly raise a child’s long-term risk of serious eye diseases, including retinal detachment, myopic maculopathy, and glaucoma later in life. Managing progression early is one of the most effective ways to protect your child’s vision for decades to come.
How We Treat Childhood Myopia
When you visit our Bayside, NY location, we perform a comprehensive assessment and recommend a customized treatment plan for your child. Dr. Cho uses proven methods such as customized ortho-k contact lenses and prescription eye drops to slow or stop your child’s vision from getting worse. Learn more about the range of options on our Myopia Control Solutions page, or find out if your child may be at risk with our myopia risk quiz.
We invite you to request a consultation at (646) 798-7140 today.
Myopia Epidemic FAQs
Why is myopia becoming more common in children?
Increased near-work, more screen time, and less outdoor time have all contributed to rising childhood myopia rates in recent years.
What health risks are linked to high myopia?
Higher levels of myopia are linked to an increased long-term risk of retinal detachment, myopic maculopathy, and glaucoma later in life.
How is Ortho K Specialty different from a regular optical store?
We don’t sell glasses. We work alongside your child’s regular eye doctor to treat myopia progression directly, similar to how an orthodontist partners with your family dentist.
Can myopia progression actually be slowed down?
Yes. Treatments like ortho-k lenses, atropine therapy, and soft myopia-control lenses have been shown to help slow the rate of myopia progression in children.
What happens during a myopia assessment?
We perform a comprehensive assessment including prescription history, axial length measurement, and a discussion of lifestyle factors before recommending a customized treatment plan.
At what age does myopia typically start progressing?
Myopia often begins and progresses fastest during elementary and middle school years, though it can start earlier or later depending on the child.
How do I know if my child is at risk for progressive myopia?
Family history, current prescription, and rate of change are all risk factors. Take our myopia risk quiz or schedule a consultation to find out.