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July 15, 2024
By Michelle Le, OD
Given the increasing prevalence of myopia, embracing myopia management presents a compelling opportunity for optometrists to elevate their level of care, distinguish their practice, and contribute to the field’s advancement.
Photo Credit: Nick Sokoloff, WebMD Ignite
One of my greatest appreciations for our field is the perpetual innovation and the continuously evolving landscape of vision care. Having graduated from optometry school in 2016, I witnessed a time when myopia management was still in its nascent stages, lacking FDA-approved treatments. I learned much of what I know regarding myopia management post-graduation.
While engaging in conversations with my patients, the focal point often revolves around the prevention of ocular diseases. I have observed a common thread among many patients — a lack of awareness. As eye care providers, it is easy to presume that our patients comprehend sight-threatening conditions such as cataracts, retinal detachment, and glaucoma. However, how often have we encountered a patient whose parents lost sight, for example, due to macular degeneration, only to learn that they were never informed about the potential causes and/or preventative measures?
Approaching myopia with a similar perspective, I make sure all my patients understand that untreated myopia may not only impact daily life, but can cause irreversible vision loss. Given the increasing prevalence of myopia, embracing myopia management presents a compelling opportunity for optometrists to elevate their level of care, distinguish their practice, and contribute to the field’s advancement. By doing so, we position ourselves at the forefront of innovation, actively shaping the future of vision care.
Here are a few steps our practice took to get started:
Become an expert. For those in multi-doctor practices, doctors should consider seeking certification in myopia management, keeping abreast of the latest studies and practices. A collective eagerness among doctors is essential for the success of any myopia management program. Valuable resources on myopia and myopia management are available from Myopia Profile and Brien Holden Vision Institute, to name a few. Myopia boot camps hosted by Johnson & Johnson Vision can also further enhance your knowledge.
I attended a Myopia Boot Camp hosted by Johnson & Johnson Vision, where I learned about the latest research and product development and heard directly from myopia management leaders in our field. It was a valuable experience that enhanced my understanding of myopia management and helped me engage with other practices at a similar stage.
Assign a myopia management counselor. It is a daunting task to keep track of myopia management candidates and ensure appropriate follow-ups are scheduled. To streamline the process, we have assigned a myopia management counselor. This designated patient care coordinator handles inquiries related to our fees, schedules follow-ups, and assists our doctors in addressing questions pertaining to myopia management. To improve patient education and preparation, our practice has compiled a list of commonly asked questions and created a database to register potential candidates. This proactive approach ensures a comprehensive and well-organized myopia management program, benefiting our practice and our patients.
Establish effective internal marketing strategies. An effective internal marketing strategy is crucial for generating awareness. I discuss myopia management with all parents and patients who are myopic. Our practice has posters supplied by Johnson & Johnson featuring ACUVUE Abiliti Overnight lenses in multiple areas of our practice. A video loop of patient testimonials and educational material plays in our waiting area. Our support staff plays a pivotal role in identifying potential myopia management patients and assists us in informing parents before the visit. Parents receive a summary of our myopia management program and frequently asked questions before their exam, facilitating easier conversations in the exam room.
Invest in the proper technology. While it is possible to start myopia management with few tools, I find having the right technology makes it easier. Before this year, I practiced without a biometer. This limited my ability to offer the latest myopia management treatment to my patients. At the Johnson & Johnson Myopia Management Boot Camp, I had the opportunity to test out different biometry devices to measure axial length. Topcon MYAH was our instrument of choice based on its ease of use and capability to produce corneal topography and image meibomian glands, which was a great fit in our multi-specialty practice. With the addition of our biometry device, we now measure the axial length and obtain topography scans on all children. This addition has helped us identify additional myopia candidates.
Select the right treatment option. As primary eye care providers, we look towards evidence-based practices to make our recommendations. With the FDA approval of Johnson & Johnson Abiliti Overnight overthokeratology lenses in 2021 (FDA approved for myopia management for up to 6.00D of myopia and astigmatism up to 1.50D1), I found conversations with my patients involving myopia management becoming easier. I speak with each patient to understand their comfort level with different treatment options and their visual demands.
Myopia management will remain at the forefront of our profession and, if it’s not yet already, underscore the importance of educating patients on myopia management. Anticipating a surge in the number of myopic children in the United States,2 becoming an expert in this domain is crucial. More parents will seek out professionals who can provide specialized care for their myopic children and parents will look to us to make recommendations that will best benefit their children.
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A family history of vision impairment due to a preventable sight-threatening condition made Dr. Le aware of the importance of eye care and how exams extend beyond corrective vision. Her passion for optometry continued throughout her studies at George Mason University, earning a BS degree in Biology with a minor in business management. She went on to earning her degree from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico in 2016. Dr. Le is an associate optometrist of a multi-specialty private practice, Eye2eye Optometry Corner, in Alexandria, VA. She spearheaded the development of the myopia management program in the practice and made it one of her primary focuses. |
References:
- Data on File 2023. Instruction For Use (FDA)
- Holden BA, Fricke TR, Wilson DA, et al. Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology 2016; 123:1036-42
Important safety information:
ACUVUE Abiliti Overnight Therapeutic (tisilfocon A) Contact Lenses are indicated for use in the management of myopia. They are indicated for overnight wear for the temporary reduction of myopia and should only be disinfected using a chemical disinfection system. As with any contact lens, eye problems, including corneal ulcers, can develop. Some wearers may experience mild irritation, itching or discomfort. These lenses should not be prescribed if patients have any eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness, other eye problems, or if patients have any allergy to any ingredient in a solution which is to be used to care for these lenses. Complete information is also available from Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. by calling 1-877-334-3937, or by visiting www.seeyourabiliti.com.
2024PP07652
