So, you want to hear about myopia at 100% Optical?

This week, OT looks at three sessions at 100% Optical that will explore the subject of myopia, asking the speakers to provide a behind-the-scenes insight into their presentation.

1 Becoming a myopia management detective – solving practice-based cases

Nicky Latham, professional affairs lead for myopia management at CooperVision, will lead a discussion workshop at the AOP Lounge on Becoming a myopia management detective – solving practice-based cases. The session will take place on 1 March at 10.30–11.30am.

Latham told OT: “In many cases when we see our patients in practice, the clinical decision making is easy. The history and symptoms adds up nicely with the results we are getting. Maybe we don’t have to think too hard to find a solution for the patient in front of us.”

“At other times, things don’t add up and we have to dig a bit deeper into our clinical or communication skills to find out what is happening,” she shared.

Latham explained that the workshop will explore “those moments with myopic children when you might sit up as a clinician and think: ‘What on Earth is going on here?’”

Eye care professionals will be encouraged to consider what investigations are required to make sense of the information, to ensure confidence when seeing myopia patients.

The session will also be repeated on the CooperVision stand throughout the conference.

2 Myopia management in children and young people

Dr Annegret Dahlmann-Noor, consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Moorfields Private Eye Hospital, will present a lecture on Myopia management in children and young people on 2 March from 11.45am–12.45pm.

Dahlmann-Noor, a highly active researcher who has extensively published research in peer-reviewed medical journals, will summarise recent reports from clinical trials evaluating application of low-concentration atropine in different populations and review data on safety and efficacy of the pharmacological approach.

The consultant will also provide an update on light-based treatment approaches, including effectiveness and safety data on red light and blue light treatments.

Dahlmann-Noor will discuss the 2024 UK and Ireland myopia management consensus and provide an outlook on the emerging treatment landscape, aiming to support delegates to take home fresh knowledge on the role of different treatment modalities in the management of myopia in children and young people. 

3 The role of biometry in contemporary myopia management

On 3 March, a discussion workshop will be held at the Optical Academy from 11:45am–12:45pm on the topic of: The role of biometry in contemporary myopia management.

Brian Tompkins, director and optometrist, and Keyur Patel, IP optometrist and clinical director, both from Tompkins Knight and Son Optometrists, will host the interactive session which will encourage participants to discuss techniques, technologies, and best practices.

Discussing the topic with OT, Tompkins shared: “I think that axial length measuring capability is probably the modern-day optical coherence tomography (OCT). 15 years ago there were probably not many practices with an OCT in clinic, but now you almost never see a practice without one.

“With the importance of myopia and the growing knowledge base, I think biometry measures of axial length – not just refraction – will become the standard going forward,” he suggested.

Tompkins noted that measuring axial length supports the “cake mixture of information gathering we are doing with our children in practice,” in order to assess their risk factors for myopia. Biometry is also used for myopic adult patients to help inform awareness regarding future eye health.

The practice team sees biometry as “essential for managing myopic shifts, seeing where progression is going, and making predictions.”

If myopia management features on your Personal Development Plan for 2025–2027, why not make a start with education at 100% Optical? Visit the education programme to find many more sessions dedicated to this topic, and more. Register for 100% Optical now.