Treehouse Eyes’ co-founders Gary Gerber, OD, (l) with Matt Oerding, CEO.
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BOULDER, Colo.—In what’s described by its co-founders as the first-ever company in the U.S. dedicated solely to myopia care for kids, Treehouse Eyes has opened its first two locations, in Bethesda, Md. and in Tysons Corner, Va. Founded by industry veterans Gary Gerber, OD and Matt Oerding, a long time ophthalmic executive, the company said it plans to open 20 more centers in the next two years and about 75 in the next five years.”

Andrew Morgenstern, OD, is the first optometrist to see patients at Treehouse Eyes in the Bethesda location and will help lead future clinical efforts for the company.

“Myopia control is optometry’s to lose,” stated Gerber. “With 10 million kids in the U.S. already myopic, and more rapidly becoming myopic, I saw an opportunity for optometry to step up and own the category of myopia control. To really do this right and take great care of these kids takes a commitment that many doctors have shied away from. There’s admittedly a steep learning curve, expense and giant time commitment in the practice.


Inside the Treehouse Eyes Bethesda, Md. location.
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“For example, patient’s initial consultations typically take close to two hours with our protocol – and we don’t sell glasses in our centers.Treatment does not involve glasses or vision therapy. Instead, our patent pending Treehouse Vision System uses specially designed contact lenses and prescription eye drops that are used in a customized fashion and sequence for each child. There are certainly a few doctors who do some degree of myopia control in their practices, but we wanted to be the first to have 100 percent of our energy focused on this serious condition,” Gerber said.

Oerding, a former Novartis eyecare executive, added, “Together, Gary and I are positively disrupting the status quo of simply allowing kids to get stronger and stronger glasses every year. Along with our team of world class expert advisors, we have our patent pending Treehouse Vision System that will be used to customize treatments for each child we see.”

He added, “We literally have the best minds in myopia control working with us—from optometry, pediatric ophthalmology, refractive surgery, research and retailing.” Among the advisors on the Treehouse team are:

• Thomas Aller, OD, FBCLA, a private practitioner in the San Francisco Bay Area for 32 years. He has been conducting clinical research in myopia control for 25 years. Currently he is a senior project scientist for the Vision CRC and collaborates on the myopia control projects of the Brien Holden Vision Institute.

• E. Dean Butler, founder of numerous eyecare businesses including LensCrafters, Vision Express Group (UK) and LensPro Pty. Ltd. (Australia). He serves on several corporate boards and is an internationally renowned speaker and business consultant.

• Patrick Caroline, COT, who serves as an instructor and lecturer at the Pacific University College of Optometry in Forest Grove, Ore. He is a Fellow member and Diplomat of the Cornea and Contact Lens Section of the American Academy of Optometry and a noted author on contact lens topics.

• Jeffrey Cooper, OD, a professor emeritus at the State University of New York, College of Optometry with clinical practices in Manhattan and Brooklyn and a researcher on binocular disorders and myopia control.

• Earl L. Smith III, OD, currently serving as the dean of the UH College of Optometry. He received the Glenn Fry Award and the Prentice Medal from the American Academy of Optometry for his research on the role of vision in regulating refractive development and eye growth.

• Erin Stahl, MD, a pediatric ophthalmologist at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. She specializes in the treatment of pediatric anterior segment diseases including cornea, cataract, uveitis, glaucoma and refractive surgery.

• Vance Thompson, MD, an internationally recognized specialist and researcher in laser vision correction and advanced cataract surgery.

Treehouse Eyes reported it has raised nearly $2 million in seed funding in about six months. Oerding brings over 15 years of experience in the eyecare industry with Alcon and CIBA Vision. Before leaving to start Treehouse Eyes, Oerding led strategy, portfolio marketing and commercial innovation for the over $2 billion global Alcon Vision Care business. Prior to eyecare, Oerding held various brand management roles with such companies General Mills and General Electric.

Gerber, chief myopia reduction officer at Treehouse, is also founder of The Power Practice, a well -known practice management consultancy in the U.S. and the creator of the “Power Hour,” which broadcasts on a range of industry topics.