April 1, 2026
By Glenda Aleman Moheeputh, OD
Photo generated by Gemini
As U.S. practitioners gain access to myopia control spectacle lenses, many of us are learning how to successfully incorporate this new treatment into our practices. Whenever a new treatment becomes available, I believe the best approach is to go back to the fundamentals: education, communication, workflow and patient-centered care.
Everything starts with education. We want to be as informed as possible before we start prescribing anything to patients, and that’s why it’s so important for us to do our homework before adding a new treatment to our arsenals. Once you feel confident and informed, the next step is having a clear plan of action for facilitating these conversations with patients.
Education and Research
Education is critical for ECPs. As practitioners, we cannot confidently recommend a treatment if we are not fully educated on it ourselves. Confidence in the doctor creates confidence in the patient and the parent. I encourage ECPs to get access to the research available on myopia management spectacle lenses. You’ll be prepared when talking to your patients about the new treatment.
I recommend getting familiar with the research available. Start by reading Review of Myopia Management. Search for reputable sources that can help you with the science and research behind these lenses. Look for webinars on spectacle lenses. Attend local educational events on myopia management. Additionally, reach out to your EssilorLuxottica sales reps, as they’ll have the best resources and information that you can share with patients and their families.
Develop a Clear Plan of Action
Once you feel comfortable prescribing myopia management spectacle lenses, the next step is to start talking to patients about it.
This can also lead to a number of questions: Are you going to be scheduling a myopia management consultation? Are you going to initiate these conversations on the first visit? If you weren’t offering myopia management before, will this be a new practice-wide initiative, or will you just offer spectacle lenses?
It’s also important to note that there’s no right or wrong way to go about this. Some practitioners prefer to plant the seed about myopia management at the initial eye exam, and then schedule an in-depth myopia management consultation to get into the real details. Other practitioners skip the consultation and do their education during the regular exam. When patients are making the commitment of myopia management—both the time and cost involved in treatment—we want to be sure that we’re available for adequate education.
Establish Fee Schedules and Compensation
Another critical component of prescribing myopia management spectacle lenses is the fee structure. There are several things to consider when it comes to myopia management fees: Are you going to charge a myopia management fee upfront? Are you going to break it down into an initial fee for the first consultation and then have the patient come back for a follow-up? Will spectacle lenses be included in your global myopia fee? Are you going to charge for frames and lenses separately?
In my practice, I’ve developed a package price for myopia management spectacle lenses because I believe simplicity helps families make decisions with confidence, and overall, it has been well-received by parents.
Staff Training
Whether you’re a seasoned myopia management practitioner, or this is your first experience with the treatments, spectacle lenses are new for everyone—including your practice’s support staff. They may have gotten used to questions about contact lenses or orthokeratology, but spectacle lenses open up a whole new avenue for inquiries and training.
Our team is an extension of our patient education, so their understanding and confidence are just as important as ours. Opticians play a critical role here. Not only do they spend a great deal of time with patients and their parents, but the fitting process of myopia management spectacle lenses is different from a regular pair of glasses. Opticians need to know the specific measurements that are necessary, such as measuring monocular pupillary distance and optical center height, as well as being aware of decentration, which is why frame selection is equally as important.
In corporate optometry, ECPs sometimes have no control over staff training. Our corporate-affiliated partners will require support staff to be involved in company-sanctioned training programs, meaning every corporation will have their own training requirements. That’s why it’s our responsibility as practitioners to ensure that our team members are adequately trained and can have successful, productive conversations with patients and their parents. Given that my practice is inside of Walmart, before I started prescribing spectacle lenses for myopia management, I ensured my team had completed their respective training modules and felt confident talking to patients about it.
Maintaining Professional Responsibility
Ultimately, myopia management is not about spectacle lenses, contact lenses, or low-dose atropine—it is about protecting a child’s future vision.
As doctors, our responsibility is to prescribe the best treatment for each individual child, not the easiest option or the most available option. That requires time, education and building trust with the entire family. When we treat a child with myopia, we are not just treating their myopia—we are managing a lifelong condition, and that responsibility should guide every decision we make.
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Dr. Aleman received her Bachelor of Science in Vision Science and Doctor of Optometry from Nova Southeastern University (NSU). She is the founder and CEO of iSmart Vision Care in Miami, Florida. In her mission to fight the myopia epidemic, Dr. Aleman has launched her new venture, OK Love Myopia Control Experts, a clinic and consulting company. She has lectured extensively nationally and internationally to contribute to educating others in orthokeratology and myopia management. Dr. Aleman is a myopia management professional affairs consultant for several companies, including Johnson & Johnson Vision and Topcon. Additionally, she has held the role of clinical liaison for Walmart Health Optometry in Florida, she serves on the advisory committee of the American Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control (AAOMC), and she is a former lead ambassador for the Optometry Divas Miami Chapter. Dr. Aleman is a founding board member of Latinos En Optometry and the new organization Women In Eyecare. To contact Dr. Aleman, email her at gmoheep@gmail.com |
