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October 1, 2025
By Mumtaz Bashir, OD
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Treating myopia patients has very personal roots for me. Growing up as a very nearsighted child, I remember how difficult it was to see if I wasn’t wearing my glasses. Then, when I became a mother, it was impossible for me to see that my baby girl was in the crib without correction. When my oldest daughter was 3 years old (she is now 21), I knew she was going to need glasses, and I didn’t want her to grow up and become as nearsighted as her mother. This is what inspired me to start treating myopia patients.
Going with the Data
While I have been actively managing myopia progression for over a decade, I really dove deep into the specialty when I opened my private practice in 2020. That is when I was first introduced to the NaturalVue Multifocal contact lenses.
Since Visioneering Technologies Inc. (VTI) has released the data from its ongoing PROTECT trial, it has given me even more confidence to prescribe NaturalVue Multifocals to my myopia patients. This data is important to me not just as a practitioner, but also as a parent. I want to choose what is best for my patients based on sound research—especially because I am treating young children. Whenever a patient comes into my office, I always think about their long-term health and wellbeing. I even chose NaturalVue Multifocal contacts lenses for my own daughter, as her myopia was still progressing at 16 years old.
Patients Have Success with NaturalVue Multifocals
With a large range of lenses that go up to -12.25D, NaturalVue Multifocals gives me a safe and effective treatment options for my most advanced myopes. While there are several success stories in my practice with the NaturalVue Multifocals, here are two specific cases that stand out to me:
Case 1:
About 1.5 years ago, I met a timid 7 y/o African American female.
OD -13.00 -2.00 x 005 20/40-2
OS -12.50-2.25×003 20/30-2
BCVA in NaturalVue MF -11.75 OU was 20/30 @ distance and 20/30 @ near
Mom is an extremely high myope and she brought her daughter for an exam because she was told her daughter was already very nearsighted. They had a history of having tried low-dose atropine in the past, though the patient’s myopia still progressed, and she had reported poor compliance with the medication. The patient’s mom came in asking about orthokeratology, but I explained the child was out of the range for correction. We decided to try NaturalVue Multifocals. The timid child that walked into my office the first time blossomed into a chatty, boisterous talkative girl who loves to hug me as soon as she sees me in the waiting room. After a year and a half of monitoring this child, she has had minimal progression in axial length and no progression in refraction. The parents are thrilled. Not only do I treat this child, but now I also treat several of her family members.
Case 2:
An 11 y/o Asian female came to my office, never having been given any options on myopia treatments before the initial consultation.
OD -14.00-3.00×172 20/25+2
OS -14.00-5.00 x 180 20/40
I ended up using NaturalVue MF -12.25 OD, OS with the best correction.
20/30 OU @ distance and 20/30 OU @ near
I was concerned that the 20/30 vision was not going to be acceptable with an 11-year-old, and I had discussed prescribing a small power correction in glasses over her contacts. She told me that she felt comfortable with her vision at school, and she wanted to do everything in her power to “not go back to the ugly thick glasses.” This young lady was so happy with her appearance. She is about to be a teenager, and now with NaturalVue, we can stabilize her vision so she can feel confident in school and in life.
A Lens for Real Life
As practitioners, we educate our patients on best practices, discuss with them what they are doing incorrectly and teach them how to improve their habits. However, we can’t be with them 24 hours a day. Having said that, with NaturalVue’s extended range of focus design, I know my patients have enough plus power for all their activities.
Whether they are outside in the sun with small pupils or inside doing their homework, I know that the NeuroFocus lens design in NaturalVue lenses will give them all the power they need to get through all their daily tasks. I’ve found that myopia patients of all ages adapt very well to this lens design with minimal side effects and no discomfort—even after all-day wear.
In my experience, I’ve seen better outcomes fitting young teens in NaturalVue Multifocals than other mutifocal lenses. My teen patients have reported less glare and fewer halos than other multifocal lens designs. The virtual pinhole effect caused by the extended depth of focus lens effect in the NaturalVue MF minimizes visual disturbances across all focal lengths, making it an easy choice for teens who are competitive in sports, starting to drive, spending a lot of time on devices.
Fitting Any Patient with Ease
For me, the NatualVue Multifocal is a lens that is built to grow and evolve with my patients as their demand increases. Let’s face it—we demand a lot from our eyes, and that is only going to increase as technology becomes a more integral part of our lives. NaturalVue Multifocal lenses can handle the demand and keep our patients seeing clearly all day long.
I know this lens will work whenever I need it. It is also very satisfying to be able to help those patients that have previously been told they are beyond help. This patient-centered approach and specialized skill set that myopia management affords me has helped grow my practice. It also resonates with my patients and their families.
The NaturalVue Multifocal lens is an essential part of my toolbox, and I am thrilled to have it at my disposal. They are high quality, value-driven lenses that serve our patients and our practice well.
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Dr. Mumtaz Bashir is the founding member of U & M Family Eyecare. She graduated from the Illinois College of Optometry with a Doctorate of Optometry Degree in 2000. Dr. Bashir grew up in California where she graduated with honors from the University of California with a BA in Psychobiology. She also holds a BS in Visual Sciences from the Illinois College of Optometry. Dr. Bashir has over 25 years of experience in the diagnosis, management and treatment of conditions of the human eye and visual system. She has extensive experience in managing childhood myopia progression, refractive surgery, pediatric optometry, specialty contact lens fits (including RGPs, multifocals, OrthoK, myopia stabilization, soft lenses, Monovision) and primary care optometry.
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Dr. Bashir was compensated for her time in preparing this article.
MKT-NVEM-AP25
