THE Myopia Meeting Markham event recap
December 16, 2025
The packed room of attendees received a special two-in-one program at THE Myopia Meeting Markham.
MARKHAM, Ontario, Canada – On Sunday, December 7, leaders in the eye care field gathered here for THE Myopia Meeting. For the first time, attendees got a special two-in-one format, which included the Mastering Myopia Training Program and three hours of COPE-approved continuing education courses, interspersed with clinical reviews from some of the most influential companies in the myopia management space.
Organized by Review of Myopia Management, THE Myopia Meeting was sponsored by leaders in the field of myopia management, including EssilorLuxottica, HOYA Vision Care, Johnson & Johnson Vision, Topcon Healthcare, CooperVision, Labtician, Visioneering Technologies Inc. (VTI), WAVE Eye Care and Zeiss Vision Care.
Mastering Myopia Training Program
The day-long program kicked off with the Mastering Myopia Training Program, hosted by Review of Myopia Management Medical Co-Editors Ashley Tucker, OD, FAAO, FSLS, ABO Diplomate, and Kevin Chan, OD, MS, FAAO, IACMM, along with Sheila Morrison, OD, MSc, FSLS, FAAO.
The session convened to address the urgent need for a paradigm shift in pediatric eye care, moving from simple vision correction to proactive disease management. The speakers structured the event in three distinct modules:
- Myopia Management: All Aboard
- Getting Your Practice Ready
- What Would You Do?
Attendees learned the ins and outs of getting started with myopia management.
The program focused on the operational and economic aspects of integrating myopia management into practice. Attendees were guided through creating a child-friendly practice environment, using age-appropriate language (e.g., referring to biometry as a “picture of the eye”) and utilizing optical biometry as the gold standard for monitoring progression.
The program concluded with actionable steps for business growth, including internal marketing to existing patients and external outreach to the community. Emphasis was placed on co-management, encouraging practitioners to build a circle of care by collaborating with pediatricians, school nurses and ophthalmologists.
The overarching message was clear: by treating myopia as a disease state and investing in the right tools and training, practitioners can fundamentally alter the trajectory of their patients’ vision and quality of life.
Clinical Industry Reviews
EssilorLuxottica
Dr. Laurent Madteossian presented on behalf of EssilorLuxottica, for the first time to a Canadian audience, highlighting the future of spectacle-based management with the introduction of Essilor Stellest 2.0 lenses. Powered by H.A.L.T. MAX technology and building on the proven efficacy of the original Stellest design, the 2.0 iteration utilizes lenslets with increased power and asphericity to spread the volume of non-focused light over a wider area and further from the retina. Dr. Madteossian shared 12-month clinical trial results indicating that the new H.A.L.T. MAX technology significantly slows axial elongation even more effectively than the current H.A.L.T. technology. The Stellest 2.0 lenses are anticipated to launch in Canada early 2026; however, they are not yet FDA cleared and therefore not available in the US.
Johnson & Johnson Vision
Dr. Gary Gimpel presented for Johnson & Johnson Vision, discussing the ACUVUE Abiliti 1-Day Soft Therapeutic Lenses. His discussion highlighted the lenses as the first and only daily disposable silicone hydrogel lenses specifically designed for slowing myopia progression.
The lenses utilize breakthrough RingBoost technology to decouple treatment efficacy from vision quality. Dr. Gimpel presented data showing an average reduction in axial elongation of 0.31mm over a three-year period. He also walked attendees through a case study of a 12-year-old patient, demonstrating how the lenses successfully stabilized refractive error and axial length over one year of compliant wear.
Topcon Healthcare
Andy Yuen showcased Topcon’s MYAH during his presentation, a multi-modal instrument essential for building and managing a myopia practice. He detailed the device’s capabilities, which combine optical biometry, corneal topography and dry eye evaluation into a single platform. The presentation emphasized the “1-2-3 Approach” to myopia management: awareness, clinical management and practice management. Yuen highlighted how the MYAH’s objective axial length measurements and visual growth curves are critical for detecting risk early, guiding personalized care and effectively communicating progression trends to parents.
HOYA Vision Care
Jodi Rana provided an evidence-based update on HOYA’s MiYOSMART lenses, focusing on the robust data supporting its long-term use. She highlighted an eight-year abstract—the longest-running study on a myopia management spectacle lens—which demonstrated sustained myopia control with an average progression of less than -0.50D over the study period.
The presentation also offered new insights into the versatility of the lens, noting its proven effectiveness in older teens (ages 16-21), and the potential for additive effects when combining DIMS technology with atropine therapy for high-risk patients.
Mastering the Practice of Myopia Management
Dr. Tucker kicked off the CE portion of the event with her session, “Myopia Management Mastery: From Theory to Practice.” Her course focused on overcoming the practical hurdles of implementing the World Council of Optometry’s standard of care. She emphasizes that myopia is a disease of axial elongation, requiring a shift from simple correction to the “Three Ms:” Mitigation, Measurement and Management.
During her presentation, Dr. Tucker gave attendees tangible practice pearls to take back to their offices.
A significant portion of her presentation addressed some of the most common communication barriers. Dr. Tucker explained that parents often do not see the risks associated with untreated myopia–only the urgency of vision correction.
During her presentation, she also discussed fees for myopia management, which can often be a stumbling block for even the most seasoned practitioners. Dr. Tucker expressed the importance of adopting a “medical model” approach to fees—similar to orthodontics—to build value and trust.
Some of the key takeaways from her session included:
- Strategies for handling parental refusal. Dr. Tucker explained that a “respectful no” from parents can build trust for a future “yes.”
- A team-based workflow. Dr. Tucker defined specific roles for technicians, opticians and front desk staff to ensure a cohesive message and improve patient compliance.
The Spectacle Solution
Dr. Morrison shared everything attendees need to know about myopia management spectacles.
Next up was Dr. Morrison who presented “Seeing Change: The Spectacle Solution for Modern Myopia Care.” Dr. Morrison explored the rapidly expanding landscape of myopia control spectacles. She broke down the two primary optical theories driving current innovation: optical defocus (focusing one image on the retina and another in front of it) and contrast theory (reducing retinal contrast to signal slowed growth).
Dr. Morrison then reviewed the top technologies entering the market, including DIMS (Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments), HALT (Highly Aspherical Lenslet Target), C.A.R.E. (Cylindrical Annular Refractive Elements) and DOT (Diffusion Optics Technology). She highlighted that spectacles offer a unique advantage by serving as “free PR” for the practice, as well as providing a solution for patients with dry eye or contact lens intolerance.
During the session, Dr. Morrison also touched on advanced clinical pearls, such as the emerging evidence for combination therapy—using spectacles alongside atropine for robust myopia control.
Decoding Clinical Conundrums
Dr. Chan closed out the day with a lecture titled “Decoding Myopia Care,” which dove deep into the science of efficacy versus effectiveness. Throughout the session, Dr. Chan challenged clinicians to move beyond refractive error and focus on axial length (AL) as the objective, heterogeneous metric for myopia management success.
A major focus of his talk was debunking the binary concept of “responders” vs. “non-responders.” Dr. Chan presented evidence suggesting that “fast progressors” are often mislabeled as non-responders when, in fact, they may benefit the most from interventions like orthokeratology.
Dr. Chan’s presentation dove into the science of efficacy versus effectiveness.
Dr. Chan also tackled the nuances of pharmacological treatment, discussing the chemical stability of compounded atropine and the importance of pH levels in formulation. He reviewed the latest data on tapering strategies to avoid rebound effects upon cessation, and he also analyzed the Bifocal and Atropine in Myopia (BAM) study regarding the combination of soft multifocal lenses and atropine.
His session concluded with a look at future developments, urging doctors to treat the patient, not just the data points.
THE Myopia Meeting Conference Speakers and Sponsors Share Event Highlights
To get more insight into the field of myopia management from the leading experts in the field, Review of Myopia Management went straight to the source. Listen to the short interview clips below with speakers and sponsors of THE Myopia Meeting to learn more about the latest myopia management topics:
Ashley Tucker, OD, FAAO, FSLS, ABO Diplomate
Kevin Chan, OD, MS, FAAO, IACMM
Dr. Laurent Madteossian, EssilorLuxottica
Jodi Rana, HOYA Vision Care
Elsa Lee, Johnson & Johnson Vision
Andy Yuen, Topcon Healthcare
David Novak, CooperVison
Sandeep Mankikar, Labtician Ophthalmics Inc.
Lynne Meyer, Visioneering Technologies Inc.
Brian Purdy, WAVE Contact Lenses
Ali Nassiri, ZEISS Vision
Dr. Shalu Pal
