“We are the best profession to deliver this type of care”

Research supporting the use of this intervention has proliferated – including studies involving longer-term use and the effects of cessation.

On the High Street, myopia management has shifted from a niche service offered by a minority of practices to a core offering. The range of options for managing myopia has expanded, enabling eye care professionals to tailor myopia management to the preferences and lifestyle of individual patients.

Alongside developments in research and practice, professional standards have evolved to reflect the importance of myopia management for the profession and patients.

In 2023 the College of Optometrists updated guidance on myopia management. This update highlighted that optometrists should recommend myopia management treatment options when, in their professional opinion, it is clinically indicated and in the patient’s best interests.

OT approached optometrists with significant experience in myopia management on how the field has progressed within the UK.

A sea change

Peter Ivins optometrist and director, Craig McArthur, shared with OT that when he became interested in myopia management in 2010, there was little awareness of the therapy.

“It was viewed as my niche hobby by my friends within the profession,” he said.

McArthur described the launch of MiSight^® 1 day in 2017 as the catalyst for a “sea change” in how optometrists and patients viewed myopia management.

“Since then public and practitioner awareness has slowly and steadily grown,” he emphasised.

He shared that an increasing list of treatment options and abundance of training opportunities means that most practices are now offering some form of myopia management.

Tompkins, Knight & Son director and optometrist, Dr Keyur Patel, observed that over time many practitioners have realised that offering myopia management is in the best interests of patients.

“We are the best profession to deliver this type of care,” he highlighted.

“Myopia management can be a great opportunity to specialise and become a practice building tool,” Patel said.

Bhavin Shah, optometrist and owner of Central Vision Opticians, highlighted that growth in clinical research and support from professional bodies has seen myopia management become a standard of care.

“There has been a huge shift. More optometrists recognise the need for early intervention, and parents are becoming more aware of the options available,” he highlighted.

He added that there is still work to do on ensuring that myopia management is widely accessible and understood by the public.

More optometrists recognise the need for early intervention, and parents are becoming more aware of the options available

Leightons Opticians St Albans practice director and optometrist, Indie Grewal, shared that after the pandemic, he observed an increasing number of enquiries about myopia management.

“Parents are increasingly becoming aware of myopia management, whether this be through their own research or word of mouth,” he said.

Rawlings Opticians and Hearing Care optometrist, Jasnique Tiwana, has also noticed that awareness of the intervention has increased among parents.

“Parents are becoming more informed, often seeking out myopia control options themselves rather than waiting for recommendations. The rise in screen time, particularly post-pandemic, has further fuelled awareness,” she emphasised.

Here to stay

Rachael Smith, practice director and optometrist at Rawlings Opticians and Hearing Care, highlighted that it is becoming less acceptable not to mention myopia management during consultations.

“However, I am still surprised to find that some new patients come to us from elsewhere having never heard that treatments are available,” she said.

Optometrist and practice director of Lynne Fernandes Optometrists, Lynne Fernandes, highlighted that attitudes to myopia management have “evolved significantly” over the past decade in the UK.

“Initially, there was scepticism and a lack of awareness, but today, the majority of practitioners recognise the importance of early intervention,” she said.

Fernandes added that there is a need for standardised training and support so all practitioners are able to outline the full range of interventions that are available.

“Additionally, practitioners must be adept at educating families about modifiable risk factors, such as increasing outdoor time and reducing near work,” she observed.

Deven Lakhani, optometrist and practice director of Hammond Opticians, described the publication of updated guidance on myopia management by the College of Optometrists in 2023 as a “wake up call” for many optometrists.

“Within the profession, there is a growing realisation that this is something that is here to stay and you can’t afford to ignore it,” he emphasised.