From communication strategies to I&R training tips, this article offers tools on how to become a myopia super tech and team.
Ophthalmic technicians and staff are on the frontlines of myopia management. Just consider, you are the first and last stop in the practice.
Whether you’re just getting started in myopia management or hoping to fine-tune your practice’s efforts, this article includes steps on how you can successfully activate or super-charge your team’s myopia management program.
Staff and Techs Set the Stage in Myopia Management
From diagnosis to treatment to follow-up care, staff and techs play a vital role for families and their children with myopia.
Staff may manage intake information, schedule follow-up appointments, and help with insurance questions.
At the pre-test stage, the ophthalmic tech takes the baton from the front desk. Depending on the practice, testing may include case history, visual acuity, axial length measurement, and corneal topography. Remember, any practice can be successful in myopia management without an optical biometer and corneal topographer.
Myopia Communication 101
When a child is diagnosed with myopia, this may mark the first time their parents have ever heard of myopia. Some parents may also believe that all their child needs for their “blurry vision” is a pair of single vision contact lenses or spectacles.
When communicating with parents, remember: You are the parents’ education advocate.
One good rule of thumb is to share information in an easy, understandable way, which can be personalized to the child and their activities and interests.
Here are a few simple, yet impactful speaking points to get you started:
- Myopia is a condition in which the eye grows too long, too fast, and gets weaker as this happens.
- Myopia can interfere with your child’s learning and activities and increases the risk of eye health problems down the road.1-3
- Because myopia gets worse as children grow and can’t be reversed, there’s a real benefit to early detection and treatment.4
For additional myopia speaking points, these 1-minute parent conversation videos found in CooperVision’s Online Success Center feature eye care professionals who share easy to understand, concise myopia conversations with parents.
Enhance Myopia Education with In-office Tools and At-home Learnings
Numerous in-office resources can help a parent visualize how their child with myopia sees the world.
For example, CooperVision’s Myopia Simulator gives parents a real-life glimpse of their child’s vision. Your practice’s eye care professional can also place a loose, plus power trial lens in front of the parents’ eyes to illustrate their child’s myopia.
For extra at home support, CooperVision offers a wealth of resources. Be sure to point families to MiSight.com, and MiSight®’s YouTube and Instagram pages for additional help and information.
Speak with Authority on Myopia Treatment Options
When it comes time for parents to decide whether to start treatment today for their child, the ophthalmic technician generally takes the reins from the eye care professional and helps further explain the treatment plan and pricing information.
For ophthalmic tech Taylor Hicks of Silicon Valley Eye Physicians, understanding the doctor’s myopia management plan and treatment approach, in addition to being well-versed on the treatment options, are a must for effective communication with families.
“I need to be able to explain hyperopic defocus and how orthokeratology works,” she says. “I always think, do I understand this topic, and can I explain it? I trained myself on everything a patient would ask so I could answer it and not have to bring back the doctor. This preparation makes patients much more comfortable, and being able to speak with authority builds trust with families.”
An overarching philosophy in Taylor’s myopia clinic is to encourage parents to be proactive and not reactive when it comes to their child’s treatment. “This gives parents perspective,” she explains. “For example, I might say, ‘Right now, your child’s prescription is -0.50 diopters, but they are only eight years old. We can do something now to help slow your child’s myopia progression†5, or we can wait until next year when their prescription could worsen to -1.50 diopters.’ When you put it in those terms, parents generally choose to seek treatment right away for their child.”
Make Contact Lens I&R Easy for Children
Myopia super tech Taylor suggests at-home practice can make for a smooth transition into contact lens wear.
“Our eyes are trained to blink when something comes near the eye, so it is very important to practice controlling that reflex to achieve a smooth transition into contact lenses,” she advises. “Even just five minutes of practice per day can make a big difference.”
As an additional at-home resource, you can direct families to this video on the MiSight® 1 day* YouTube channel that shows 8-year-old MiSight® 1 day wearer twins, Olivia and Madeline, demonstrating proper contact lens insertion and removal techniques.
Last Steps for Myopia Management Success
Remember your value to the myopia practice. You are the first and last face families see.
For additional resources, please visit CooperVision’s Online Success Center and the MiSight® QuickStart program, which includes a Staff Training Guide and video.
*Indications for Use: MiSight® (omafilcon A) daily wear single use Soft Contact Lenses are indicated for the correction of myopic ametropia and for slowing the progression of myopia in children with non-diseased eyes, who at the initiation of treatment are 8-12 years of age and have a refraction of -0.75 to -4.00 diopters (spherical equivalent) with ≤ 0.75 diopters of astigmatism. The lens is to be discarded after each removal. †While eyes are still growing; children fit ages 8-12 and followed for 6-years. n=40.
1. E. L. Lamoureux, J. Wang, T. Aung, S. M. Saw, T. Y. Wong; Myopia and Quality of Life: The Singapore Malay Eye Study (SiMES). Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2008;49(13):4469.
2. Chua S.Y.L., Foster P.J. (2020) The Economic and Societal Impact of Myopia and High Myopia. In: Ang M., Wong T. (eds) Updates on Myopia. Springer, Singapore.
3. Tideman JW et al. Association of axial length with risk of uncorrectable visual impairment for Europeans with myopia. JAMA Ophthalmol.
4. Zadnik, G.L. Mitchell, L.A. Jones, D.O. Mutti; Factors Associated with Rapid Myopia Progression in School-aged Children . Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2004;45(13):2306.
5. Chamberlain P et al. Long-Term Effect of Dual-Focus Contact Lenses on Myopia Progression in Children: A 6-year Multicenter Clinical Trial. Optom Vis Sci 2022 In Press.
