February 1, 2026
By Susanna Tamkins, OD
Photo generated by Gemini
After more than 30 years in pediatric optometry, one truth has become increasingly clear to me: accessibility is not a luxury in myopia management, it is a necessity.
When you’re caring for children and guiding families through long-term treatment decisions, anxiety is often part of the equation. Parents worry about progression, treatment options and about whether they’re doing enough (or too little) for their child’s vision. My practice’s Myopia Hotline grew directly out of this reality, and out of my personal belief that access to timely information, education and support is foundational to therapeutic success.
How the Myopia Hotline Works
The Myopia Hotline is a dedicated phone line that gives families, referring providers and community members direct access to my practice for myopia-related questions. The phone is answered live about 90% of the time, and when a message is left, calls are returned within 24 hours.
The hotline is not designed to replace a comprehensive exams or physician consultations. Instead, it serves as a first point of contact for education, logistics and reassurance. Families can call with questions, request prescriptions, address supply issues or get guidance on next steps. For parents navigating myopia management for the first time, that line of accessibility can make all the difference.
Why Accessibility Matters in Myopia Management
Continuity is critical in myopia control. Children need consistent access to glasses and contact lenses designed specifically to manage progression. A gap of even a few months during periods of rapid growth can translate into meaningful progression.
In most contact lens scenarios, running out of lenses for a short period of time is inconvenient, but not dangerous. But when it comes to myopia management, that’s different. Interruptions like this matter. The hotline allows us to intervene quickly, whether a family missed an appointment, ran low on lenses or encountered an unexpected issue.
Who Uses the Hotline—and What They Ask
Our audience is broad, ranging from current patients, new families, referring providers and even parents calling from outside our immediate region. Many prospective parents have already done significant research and come in with thoughtful questions.
The most common question I hear is, “Is my child too young for contact lenses?” Another frequent concern is, “Is it too late”,” or, “Did we miss our window?” Parents also want help navigating treatment options, which can feel overwhelming given the range of options available today.
These conversations help set realistic expectations and reinforce that myopia management is a long-term journey. Over a child’s lifetime, they may move through multiple treatment phases. For example, there is low-dose atropine, several optical interventions, such as MiSight 1 day contact lenses, Essilor Stellest spectacles, ACUVUE Abiliti 1 Day and VTI NaturalVue, combination therapy for aggressive progression, and, later in life, refractive surgical options.
There is no one treatment that works “best” for every child. Frequently, children require a combination of treatments and more than one treatment over the course of their development. The first question I ask myself is always: What is best for the patient? My credo is, “If it’s right for the patient, then it is the right thing to do.”
Supporting, Not Overwhelming, the Practice
One concern I hear from colleagues is fear of opening the floodgates to phone calls. From my perspective as a physician, the first question is always: What is best for the patient?
That said, structure matters. We prepared thoughtfully before launching the hotline. A small, well-trained group of staff members manage the calls, with one primary point person. Our staff is trained using materials designed for classroom education of optometry students in myopia management. They are experienced in myopia education and familiar with treatment pathways. Their communication with patients is supported by scripts and reference materials. Ultimately, the hotline provides guidance and triage, not detailed medical advice.
Because of that structure, the hotline has enhanced our workflow rather than disrupted it.
The Impact on Patients and the Practice
The most meaningful outcome is simple: we are stopping myopia progression. Children are healthier, and families feel supported throughout the process.
From a practice standpoint, the growth has been substantial. Today, at least half of our patient population consists of myopic children, and we continue to expand, bringing on additional pediatric optometrists to meet demand. While the hotline isn’t the sole driver of that growth, it is clearly correlated. Accessibility builds trust, and trust fuels engagement and referrals.
The Myopia Hotline wasn’t created as a marketing tool. It emerged organically from decades of caring for children and listening to families. In my experience, accessibility equals therapeutic success. When parents feel supported and informed, adherence improves, outcomes improve and confidence grows on all sides.
As myopia management continues to evolve, I believe practices that prioritize access, education and continuity will be positioned to meet the needs of today’s families and tomorrow’s patients.
 |
Susanna Tamkins, OD, is the Director of the Management of Myopia Clinic at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. |
Read more insights about myopia patient communication here
