Have you been dragging your feet or are you stalled in implementing myopia management? If so, you’re not alone. Jobson Optical Research conducted a myopia management survey where respondents identified the obstacles they face.
TWO TOP BARRIERS
Let’s look at the top two barriers.
Is there the patient demand? The National Institute of Health predicts that 44.5 million Americans will be myopic by 2050, with greater increases among African and Hispanic Americans.1 Other recent studies have predicted that myopia prevalence in the U.S. is trending upward.2,3 This indicates a significant untapped opportunity to offer myopia management. The need exists, and you can take advantage of that. Clearly, patient volume is plentiful.
Is it too time consuming? While starting myopia management may seem a daunting task initially, effective staff delegation can go a long way. Many ODs have benefited from creating a new role in their practices–a myopia management coordinator. This person takes on the logistical responsibilities that go along with myopic patients, freeing you up to spend quality time with patients.
Several years ago, Dwight Barnes, OD, FIAOMC, IACMM, owner of Cary Family Eye Care in Cary, North Carolina, created the Myopia Clinic Coordinator position. It has been one of the most important innovations for his Myopia Control Clinic.
“This person takes the lead on patient education, staff education and discussing fees with potential myopia management patients. While we want every team member to be able to answer basic questions about myopia, it is not necessary to have everyone on our staff be an expert on the subject,” he says. By training one team member to have a more in-depth understanding of this specialty, the practice provides effective patient/parent education.
REFRAME THE QUESTIONS
While there are several perceived barriers to myopia management, they are surmountable with the right tools, education and preparation. Take a look at the following scenarios and the ways that you can reframe your thinking about some of the most common hurdles to getting started with myopia management.
Instead of thinking: “I’m not convinced it works.”
• Think: “Let me do some research.”
There are so many sources—from meetings to online platforms and journals. So catch up on the latest evidence-based research. Set out to learn more about dual-focus and extended depth of focus soft contact lenses, orthokeratology, topical low-dose atropine and next-generation myopia control spectacles.
Instead of thinking: “Myopia management will take too much chair time.”
• Think: “Who in my office can help me do this?”
Efficient scheduling, trained staff and appropriate professional fees are necessary to ensure myopia management is financially feasible.
Instead of thinking: “Isn’t some of this off-label?”
• Think: “What can I do to best serve my patients?”
In addition to the available approved treatments, take a look at the peer-reviewed literature that supports off-label treatments.
Instead of thinking: “Isn’t my optical going to lose revenue?”
• Think: “What new financial streams or opportunities can I bring by providing myopia management for patients?”
As you build a myopia management practice, you’re building your patient base. Make sure you’re well stocked with kids’ frames, because not all patients will choose myopia management. Something else to consider: contact lens wearers need eyeglasses too!
Instead of thinking: “It costs too much.”
• Think: “Is it the right thing to do?”
Eye care professionals are keen and inclined to advocate different pairs of glasses or contact lenses for various uses for patients; yet, many are not tuned in to making recommendations for myopia management. Cost could be a factor; yet it is rarely the most important factor for parents once they are fully educated and acquainted with the information about myopia management. Let parents be the decider; our role and responsibility as an eye care provider is to provide all viable treatment options for patients.
Instead of thinking: “I’m not comfortable treating children.”
• Think: “Do I have or need an associate who is?”
Hiring or training an associate can be an excellent solution.
Even if you’re not an active myopia management practitioner, you can still be an advocate for your patients. Refer them to practitioners in the area that offer these treatments. Share the information with patients, and educate them on the risks of untreated myopia. There are ways to be involved in the fight against myopia that prioritize your patients’ long-term eye health.
References
- Myopia: Causes, Prevention, and Treatment of an Increasingly Common Disease, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, 2024
- Trends in Myopia and High Myopia from 1966 to 2019 in Olmsted County, Minnesota, American Journal of Ophthalmology, March 2024
- Increased Prevalence of Myopia in the United States Between 1971-1972 and 1999-2004. Arch Ophthalmol. 2009
Read more articles in the Getting Started with Myopia Management series. Be sure to check back as the series will be updated regularly with more content.
