In this video, Jessica Liaw, OD, FAAO, FSLS, explains how she added myopia management to her practice and encourages others to do the same. She offers tips for getting started, talking to patients, and building systems that support practice growth.
“I would say, in all the settings I’ve worked in, our goal has always been to try to make myopia management as accessible as possible…to be transparent about both the fees and how the program works, and to make it easy for patients and their families to understand.”
Dr. Liaw is an optometrist and Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry practicing at Vision Care Crossroads in Bellevue, Washington. She completed a residency in Cornea and Contact Lenses and has a special interest in myopia management and specialty contact lenses for corneal disease and ocular surface rehabilitation. Her current practice focuses primarily on myopia management.
Myopia management for practice growth fast facts
- Myopia management can help expand a practice’s patient base while creating an additional source of revenue.
- The barrier to entry is relatively low. Practices can begin offering myopia management without a large investment in specialized equipment.
- Patient education is key to building awareness, establishing trust, and growing a successful myopia management program.
- Efficient workflows and well-trained staff can streamline care, allowing practices of all sizes to successfully incorporate myopia management.
- There is no one-size-fits-all approach. A successful myopia management program should be tailored to each practice’s staffing, resources, capabilities, and patient population.
Deeper dive: 4 tips for incorporating myopia management into an optometry or ophthalmology practice
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is one of the most common refractive errors, and the number of people affected continues to grow. Over the last three decades, worldwide cases in children and adolescents have jumped from approximately 24.3% in 1990 to 35.8% in 2023.1 The same report found that by 2050, nearly half of the world’s population will be myopic.
With that rise comes an opportunity for optometrists and ophthalmologists to expand their service offerings and serve this growing patient base. Research backs this up. As myopia management awareness increases, more parents are seeking proactive ways to slow myopia progression and protect their children’s long-term eye health.2 But if myopia management isn’t something you already do, the barrier to entry can seem daunting.
1. Start with what you have
“Coming from an academic background, I initially thought you needed all this specialized equipment…to build a successful myopia management practice. When I entered private practice, I quickly realized that actually isn’t the case.”
Dr. Liaw explained that getting started with myopia management does not require a significant upfront investment. When she began her career, most practices were still in the early stages of incorporating myopia management, often without established systems or a consistent approach. At her first practice, Dr. Liaw was brought on to help build a myopia management program from the ground up, developing everything from clinical guidelines and workflows to staff training and patient education.
Initially, only a small number of patients enrolled in the program, and the practice relied on an older-generation corneal topographer for additional diagnostic testing. As the program grew, the practice gradually invested in more advanced technology, including updated corneal topography and optical biometry for monitoring axial length. These tools allowed for more robust monitoring of myopia progression and helped establish a stronger foundation for evidence-based myopia management.
Dr. Liaw also became increasingly comfortable with the diagnostic and clinical workflow, gaining the hands-on experience needed to build confidence and proficiency in myopia management. By the time she transitioned to her current practice, the process had become second nature. With additional imaging and diagnostic technology already available at her new practice, she was able to hit the ground running and immediately apply the experience she had developed.
2. Talk to patients in terms they can easily understand
As clinicians, it can be tempting to give families as much information as possible during a myopia consultation. However, providing too much information at once can be overwhelming and may leave parents unsure about what is actually most important for their child.
“I initially approached myopia consultations with a very academic mindset. I spent a lot of time…showing pictures, explaining concepts of defocus and axial length growth…but what I eventually realized is a lot of families aren’t looking for a lecture like that…They just want clear and practical answers for how something will help their child.”
Dr. Liaw noted that some families appreciate detailed information, while others don’t need the same level of engagement.
Drawing on her own experiences as a patient, Dr. Liaw says she now focuses on answering three questions:
- What is the patient’s current health status? (e.g., How severe is their myopia?)
- What type of treatment or treatments can help?
- What will the patient’s health look like in the future if their myopia is treated versus untreated?
Providing families with this framework can make a myopia diagnosis feel less overwhelming while giving them the information they need to make informed decisions about treatment. Once this baseline is established, Dr. Liaw recommends moving into a more detailed discussion of treatment options, taking into account each child’s individual needs, preferences, and daily routine.
Because no two patients with myopia are exactly alike, she believes treatment should be personalized, not only based on clinical factors, but also on what is realistic for the patient and family.
“I really want the families to understand how treatment will fit into their everyday life routine, and help them understand what kind of commitment is involved.”
3. Build systems that support practice growth
Improving patient communication is only one piece of successfully incorporating myopia management into a practice. Establishing efficient workflows is equally important, allowing clinicians to meet patients’ needs without adding unnecessary time to each appointment.
Dr. Liaw said that when she first started, her myopia consultations were so in-depth that she worried about fitting all the necessary information into a 30-minute exam. However, in her particular practice setting, many parents were already familiar with myopia management and primarily wanted guidance on which treatment options would be most appropriate for their child.
To streamline the process, Dr. Liaw began incorporating myopia management discussions into patients’ annual eye exams. This allows her to address multiple aspects of their care during a single appointment, making the process more efficient for both families and the practice.
When a family expresses significant interest in moving forward with treatment, Dr. Liaw also tries to provide a hands-on experience when possible, such as applying lenses in the office. This allows the child to experience the treatment firsthand in a supportive setting while giving families greater confidence in whether their child is ready for the commitment involved.
For families who need more time or information before making a decision, Dr. Liaw recommends providing digital one-sheets, brochures, or additional follow-up appointments. These resources can reinforce the information discussed during the exam while giving families the time and support they need to make a confident treatment decision.
Finally, building a strong and well-trained support team is essential as a myopia management program grows. Clinicians have limited time, and delegating appropriate tasks to trained staff can significantly improve efficiency.
Training technicians to perform tasks such as corneal topography and ortho-K insertion and removal training can help streamline patient care, allowing the clinician to focus on the aspects of myopia management that require their expertise while accommodating a growing patient population.
“My staff are very well trained. The technicians are experts at taking topographies, and I have a staff member who is very well trained in…contact lens insertion and removal, especially with children. That has made my work flow much easier.”
4. Grow at your own pace
If you’re considering adding myopia management at your practice, you’re in good company. A recent survey by the American Optometric Association found that 87% of eye doctors report discussing myopia management with parents of children between the ages of five and eight.3 The good news is that you can start right where you are and grow over time.
Unsure how to begin? Dr. Liaw suggests starting with treatments that fit your current knowledge and capabilities. For some practices, that may mean beginning with atropine eye drops and expanding over time. As you become more familiar and comfortable, consider adding other myopia control options, such as ortho-K contacts and specialized myopia control glasses.
If you don’t feel confident offering these services yourself, Dr. Liaw says establishing referral relationships with clinicians who do can be just as beneficial. This can expand your network and strengthen professional relationships while also showing patients you care about helping them achieve the best possible outcome.
Perhaps most importantly, remember that you don’t need to have all the answers at first. As long as you're curious about learning new things and willing to put yourself in the role of a student again, Dr. Liaw says you can develop the necessary skills to add myopia management to your practice.
