For Grays Harbor patients
Eye Doctor Serving Aberdeen & Grays Harbor
Grays Harbor’s optometrist shortage means long waits for local appointments. We regularly see Aberdeen and Hoquiam patients — often within the week.
The situation
The Grays Harbor optometrist shortage — in plain terms
If you’ve tried to schedule an eye exam in Aberdeen or Hoquiam recently, you already know: most local offices are booked out four to six months. For anything urgent — a red eye, sudden blur, an old prescription running out before school starts — that’s not a workable timeline.
This isn’t local optometrists doing anything wrong. It’s a real, well-documented shortage — too few doctors serving a growing patient base.
Which is where we come in. We’re about 50 minutes east on Highway 12, we schedule within one to two weeks, and we’ve been seeing Grays Harbor patients for years. For a lot of families, that drive is easier than waiting until March.
What we handle
Not just routine exams — the medical care that’s hardest to get locally
Grays Harbor patients drive to us for annual comprehensive exams — but also for medical eye care that isn’t always available closer to home.
Comprehensive eye exams
Annual vision testing, glasses and contact prescriptions, health screening. Every insurance we accept covers this.
Diabetic eye exams
Full dilated exam with retinal imaging, plus a written report to your primary care doctor. Meets the standard your endocrinologist and PCP are looking for.
Glaucoma diagnosis & monitoring
In-office glaucoma workup and long-term management — tonometry, OCT, visual field testing. We manage stable patients so you’re not driving to a specialist every quarter.
Dry eye disease
Punctal plugs, prescription drops, amniotic membrane therapy for severe cases. If drops from the drugstore aren’t working, this is treatable.
Pink eye, infections, injuries
Same-day and next-day slots held for urgent issues. Foreign body removal, corneal abrasions, conjunctivitis — the reasons most people go to the ER when they don’t need to.
Kids’ exams (age 5+)
Apple Health covered. We keep exams brief and welcoming — important when you’ve made the drive with a child who’d rather be anywhere else.
The drive
Highway 12 east — about 50 minutes, no drama
From Aberdeen or Hoquiam, take Highway 12 east through Elma and McCleary. About 50–55 minutes end-to-end — a straight shot, no traffic to speak of, no stoplights outside of town.
We’re at Wallace Kneeland Boulevard exit in Shelton. The office is inside the Walmart Vision Center. Parking is free, right next to the entrance, and clean and easy to navigate.
Ocean Shores is about 75 minutes. Some patients build the trip into a family day out or a shopping run — there’s a Costco and a full Walmart at the same exit.
Frequently asked
Questions from Grays Harbor patients
How soon can I get an eye appointment coming from Aberdeen?+
Usually within one to two weeks for a routine exam. Sometimes same-week for urgent issues. Given that many Grays Harbor optometrists are scheduling six months out, patients often find it’s faster to drive to Shelton than to wait for a local appointment.
Do you handle medical eye conditions — glaucoma, diabetic eye care, dry eye disease?+
Yes. We diagnose and manage glaucoma in-office (tonometry, OCT, visual field testing, optic nerve evaluation). We provide comprehensive diabetic eye exams with dilation and written reports to your primary care doctor. We treat dry eye disease with punctal plugs, prescription drops (Restasis, Cequa, Xiidra, Tyrvaya), and amniotic membrane therapy for severe cases.
What about emergency or urgent eye care?+
Call the office at (360) 427-8324. Same-day and next-day slots are held for urgent issues — foreign body in the eye, sudden vision changes, eye pain, or an infection. If it’s after hours and it’s a true emergency (sudden loss of vision, chemical splash, severe injury), go to the nearest ER; otherwise call us first thing in the morning.
How long is the drive from Aberdeen to Shelton?+
About 50 minutes on Highway 12 eastbound — a straight shot with no stoplights outside of town. Most Grays Harbor patients tell us the drive itself is easy; it’s the six-month wait at their local optometrist that made the difference.
Do you take Apple Health, Medicare, or major vision plans?+
Yes — Apple Health (Medicaid), Medicare, VSP, Spectera, Regence, Premera Blue Cross, Kaiser Permanente, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Molina, Wellcare, Coordinated Care, and Tricare. Most of the plans your Aberdeen-area providers accept, we accept too.
Don’t wait six months.
Book online in about a minute, or call the office. New patients from Aberdeen, Hoquiam, Elma, and McCleary welcome.