Eye care service
Myopia Management & Ortho-K in Park Slope
Myopia management and orthokeratology (Ortho-K) for children and families in Park Slope using Ortho-K, low-dose atropine, and appropriate soft multifocal or myopia-control contact lenses.
Reviewed for clinical accuracy by Justin Bazan, OD.
Does Park Slope Eye offer Ortho-K?
Yes. Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) is one of the current myopia-management options available at Park Slope Eye, along with low-dose atropine and appropriate soft multifocal or myopia-control contact lenses. We do not treat one option as automatically best for every child.
Myopia management is different from simply updating glasses
Glasses and ordinary contact lenses can correct blurry distance vision, but myopia management is intended to slow the progression of nearsightedness over time. No treatment can promise that myopia will stop completely, so the plan is individualized and monitored.
A recent comprehensive eye exam is the starting point
Myopia-management care begins with a recent comprehensive eye exam so the doctor has current information about the child’s prescription and eye health. If a comprehensive exam was completed elsewhere within the last 3 months, we can generally review that exam rather than automatically requiring it to be repeated solely because myopia-management care is being discussed.
Why manage myopia instead of just prescribing stronger glasses?
As a child's nearsightedness increases, stronger prescriptions may be needed over time. Higher levels of myopia are also associated with a greater lifetime risk of certain eye-health problems. Myopia management aims to slow that progression while still giving the child clear, practical vision now.
Myopia-management options at Park Slope Eye
Ortho-K: clear daytime vision without daytime contacts or glasses
Orthokeratology uses specially designed rigid contact lenses worn overnight to temporarily reshape the front surface of the eye. The lenses are removed in the morning and can provide useful daytime vision without glasses or daytime contact lenses while also serving as a myopia-management strategy. This can be especially appealing for active children and families who like the idea of being free from daytime eyewear.
Because Ortho-K is overnight contact lens wear, careful hygiene, proper lens care, and scheduled follow-up are important. It is not risk-free, and suitability is determined through an individual fitting and eye-health assessment.
Park Slope Eye has a Scout corneal topographer, which creates detailed maps of the shape of the cornea and provides useful information for contact-lens evaluation and fitting.
Low-dose atropine
Low-dose atropine eye drops may be used off-label to help slow myopia progression in appropriate children. “Off-label” means the medication is being prescribed for a use that is not specifically listed on its FDA-approved label. The concentration, expected benefits, possible side effects, and follow-up plan should be discussed before treatment.
Soft multifocal or myopia-control contact lenses
For appropriate patients, specially designed soft contact lenses can provide vision correction while also helping manage myopia progression.
How do we choose the right myopia-management approach?
There is no single best approach for every child, and Ortho-K is an option rather than a default. We consider the child’s prescription, how quickly it has been changing, eye health, age, lifestyle, comfort with contact lenses, ability to manage lens care and follow-up, and family preferences. We explain the reasonable options and help families choose an approach they can realistically follow, whether that is Ortho-K, low-dose atropine, or a soft myopia-control lens.
Pediatric eye care · Contact lens fittings · Is my child ready for contact lenses?
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Questions before you book? Email us at Info@ParkSlopeEye.com.