Dr. Dayan Monsalve-Ward has used her passion to make her practice a myopia management leader.
October 15, 2025
By Dayan Monsalve-Ward, OD
Photo provided by Dr. Monsalve-Ward
Shortly after I earned optometry degrees in Colombia and Spain, I moved to the United States to earn a third optometry degree at the New England College of Optometry. Today, two years after joining Rocky Mountain Eye Care in Millcreek, Utah, I lead what has quickly become a leading myopia management clinic in the region.
A Passion Rooted in Personal Experience
Myopia hits close to home. I’m myopic myself, and I would’ve loved to have these treatment options when I was a kid. My own prescription hovers around -4.50D, and I have a family history marked by retinal detachments and macular problems, so I vividly recall the consequences of unchecked myopia progression. With today’s technology, no child should have progressive myopia. This conviction drove me to get involved and attend international conferences, network with industry leaders and seek out the latest evidence in myopia management.
After optometry school, with my interest in pediatric optometry and myopia, I completed clinical rotations at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami under Susanna Tamkins, OD, who was spearheading the institute’s new myopia management clinic. Watching Dr. Tamkins develop a structured, research-driven program convinced me that I, too, could change outcomes for myopic children.
Bringing Her Expertise With Her
A pediatric ophthalmologist’s office in Utah reached out to me in 2021, after they had been part of the Myopia Treatment Study 1 (MTS1), and they were seeking a doctor with a passion for myopia management. I arrived with new protocols and a plan to reconfigure clinic flow. Over the next few months, my team and I put those processes into place: technicians were trained, the clinic schedule was restructured and educational materials for parents were designed.
The results were immediate. Within half a year, Rocky Mountain Eye Care surged to become the top MiSight clinic in the region, attracting patients in and outside of Utah. Word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied families swiftly outpaced all other marketing, turning the practice into a destination for myopia care.
Research informs every decision and recommendation I make. I love being involved in all things myopia. I read all the latest research, follow pages on LinkedIn and Instagram and subscribe to publications like Review of Myopia Management. It’s also important to me to attend multiple meetings throughout the year, including Vision by Design, the Global Specialty Lens Symposiums and American Academy of Optometry meetings. I try to share this dedication with every family I work with. I always tell parents about my involvement in the clinic, my passion for myopia management and how much I truly care about supporting their children’s vision.
Every Patient is Different
In my conversations, I always read the room, adjusting my communication approach based on the family’s familiarity with myopia. For parents new to the topic, I often start by putting them in their child’s shoes. I’ll place a trial lens over one eye, ask them to cover the other, then tell them, ‘This is what your kid sees without correction.’ That visual is a big motivator to start the myopia management conversation.
Today, I offer several myopia treatments at the clinic: FDA-approved MiSight daily disposable lenses, two off-label multifocal contact lens options and low-dose atropine. Orthokeratology is on the horizon as I start to implement protocols and adjust my schedule to allow for the necessary chair time.
Children who opt for MiSight are booked for a 40-minute training session. Here, our technicians guide the patient and parents through insertion, removal and hygiene, ensuring that everyone feels confident before heading home. I try to highlight the importance of patience and encouragement during training. Kids get frustrated, plus most of them are nervous when they come in, so we give them breaks and meet them where they’re at.
For families who choose atropine drops, I review research, dosage and off-label status. I also make it clear that I don’t want the child to use drops forever. We eventually want them to transition to optical treatment, whether it’s contact lenses or, fingers crossed, glasses in the near future following FDA approval.
In some cases, combination treatment becomes necessary. If fast progressors show inadequate control at six- or nine-month follow-ups, I recommend adding a second therapy, such as supplementing MiSight with low-dose atropine. Also, I know through research that orthokeratology and atropine work well together, so that’s something to consider as I expand into that modality.
Education Beyond the Exam Room
At the end of initial visits, I provide each family with educational materials that my team and I develop using World Society of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus resources. Patients who opt for MiSight also receive a MiSight pamphlet. If the patient has two caregivers and only one attends the initial appointment, I suggest scheduling a follow-up appointment with both caregivers present or arranging a phone call with the absent caregiver. And I always encourage parents to call the clinic with questions. Some call me with research and questions in hand, while others are completely unfamiliar—I enjoy both types of conversations and do my best to explain myopia management to everyone.
I lead the clinic’s myopia management program, but it’s important to note that team buy-in is essential. There’s a lot to learn, and it can take a while to get the team up to speed. Today, the clinic’s technicians identify risk factors at intake, measure axial length and prepare pre-visit questionnaires to guide my conversations with each family.
As I continue to roll out new technology and expand the clinic’s research partnerships, I’m confident this program will keep evolving to reach more children—because with today’s technology, no child should have progressive myopia.
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Dayan Monsalve-Ward, OD, is a board-certified optometrist at Rocky Mountain Eye in Murray, Utah, specializing in pediatric eye care and myopia management. Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, she earned her optometry degrees from institutions in three countries, including the Universidad de La Salle in Colombia, the Universidad Europea de Madrid in Spain and the New England College of Optometry in the U.S.
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