Bhavin Shah, director at Central Vision Opticians, says the practice team was thrilled and deeply honoured to have won the myopia management award.
‘Winning such a prestigious award is a true testament to our team’s hard work, dedication and innovative solutions in myopia management. We are incredibly proud of the impact we have made in helping children to manage their myopia now and how it will continue to make a difference in their eyes in the future,’ Shah says.
He adds that the recognition motivates the practice to continue to push the boundaries in this field. Central Vision Opticians started offering myopia management in 2016 when Shah read studies regarding peripheral retinal defocus and how dual focus lenses could help to slow the progression.
‘We have been working extremely hard over the past seven years to ensure that our myopia management service is world-class and has the potential to be award-winning. We wanted to showcase the work that we have conducted in myopia management,’ Shah says.
Mapping the journey
The practice recently introduced soft contact lenses that deliver tyrosine, which Shah says can promote the release of dopamine in the retina. ‘Research is beginning to show that this can slow the rate of progression in a lens that doesn’t have the optical compromise of a dual-focus contact lens,’ he adds.
Over time, Central Vision Opticians has been able to map a patient’s entire myopia journey, including how patients heard about the practice, contacting them, what happens when they visit, the assessment, aftercare and on-going management.
‘We’ve broken down each step and looked to optimise it. This is a continual process of development. We use business and behavioural science tools, such as the business model and empathy canvas, and have also developed our models about how parents decide to embark on myopia management for their child and algorithms for assessing the visual system and deciding on management options,’ Shah says.
Part of this journey, he explains, is a strategic approach to discussing myopia with parents and children, which was developed from understanding the decision-making process to considering a treatment programme.
‘This means we can deliver the right information that they need to inform them of their options and take a decision that will be the best for the child. We also work to build a three-way relationship between the child, the parents and the practice. We can address concerns, answer questions and drive the relationship as a partnership,’ Shah says.
Developing services
Shah is currently researching techniques and procedures to improve initial tolerance and reduce resistance to contact lens wear by children. This involves investigating children’s attitudes to contact lens wear and their perception of the benefits of contact lens wear, as well as identifying factors that may influence the progression of myopia despite our efforts to manage it.
Shah says Central Vision’s myopia management services will develop as the number of patients grows, which allows Shah to try new services and innovations.
‘This also helps us to have regular fixed income and capital to invest in new technologies to help grow our myopia services at a faster rate. The network of researchers, academics and practitioners worldwide is an amazing community for sharing and discussing new ideas and theories.’
Shah says winning an Optician Award brought increased exposure to the practice and recognition validated its efforts, motivating the team to achieve more.
‘It’s a great opportunity to benchmark your service against others in the industry, to network and receive acknowledgement for your hard work,’ Shah concludes.