‘Myopia is an epidemic that carries increased risks of visual impairment later in life,’ Mark Halling, myopia programme manager at CooperVision, tells Optician when discussing the development of the contact lens company’s Brilliant Futures programme.
He quotes the late Brien Holden, ‘We don’t know everything about myopia, but we know too much to do nothing,’ and says that the programme is an opportunity to serve the future of young myopes.
Brilliant Futures is said to introduce a new standard of care by providing inclusive support to practices, children and parents for compliance, satisfaction, clinical outcomes and long-term loyalty.
‘Myopia management is so much more than just vision correction. It needs to be a programme throughout childhood. The Brilliant Futures programme brings together the product, the education and the tools that both eye care practitioners and parents need to be able to take action for myopia management,’ Halling explains.
‘That starts with the advice to get outside for young pre-myopes because we know that being outside can delay the onset of myopia for some children and then through to optical interventions as they become myopic,’ he adds.
Mark Halling is optimistic about the future for young myopes
Success in practice
An accreditation programme has been developed that includes eight modules, covering the theory of myopia management and the implementation of it in practice. Once a practitioner is accredited, access to CooperVision’s MiSight 1 day contact lens becomes available. There are also education tools for patients and their parents, such as guides to getting started and videos to help with application and removal of their contact lenses.
Halling says: ‘The Brilliant Futures accreditation programme is about equipping eye care practitioners to recommend and discuss myopia management with parents. It is designed to ensure success with MiSight in practice. We’ve built up a strong body of learning since its launch three years ago, which is incorporated into the programme to share those best practises.’
Sessions include presentations by professor Nicola Logan from Aston University, who explores the risks associated with myopia; professor Mark Bullimore from the University of Houston College of Optometry, who provides an overview of clinical intervention options and a session on why each dioptre counts; plus, CooperVision’s head of professional services for MiSight 1 day, Elizabeth Lumb, discusses the results of the contact lens’ clinical study.
‘We look at balancing the benefits of myopic management with contact lens wear for kids. A module that was developed by Sarah Morgan focuses on introducing myopia management in practice, particularly on how to discuss myopia management with parents. That’s really important to ask how we have that conversation in a really effective way. The last module is a very practical module of explaining the tools in the Brilliant Futures programme and how they fit with each step of the myopia management journey,’ Halling explains.
‘We provide eye care practitioners with a broad view of what myopia management is all about and the options that are available to our young myopes,’ Halling adds. ‘We need to help practitioners keep ahead of the research and news that’s coming out. There is ongoing education and updates that try to bring all of this research into a digestible and accessible format. There are only so many 40-page clinical papers that people have time to read. We’re aiming to bring that down into short summaries that allow people to keep abreast of developments without having to dedicate a lot of time.’
A series of tools have been developed by CooperVision to make it easier for practitioners to identify those children who are at risk of developing myopia. This includes a short-sightedness assessment tool that takes into account genetics and environmental factors. Halling explains: ‘It provides a quick and easy way to identify children who are more likely to benefit from myopia management.’
He also describes a vision simulator for parents who are not myopic but want to understand what their children are experiencing. ‘The vision simulator takes real-world situations, like the classroom or a sports hall, and shows what it is like to be a minus three or minus six patient by providing a sense of the implications of myopia for their children.’
Creating understanding
Halling says there is not one simple answer to how a practitioner should approach the discussion of myopia management with parents and children. He shares that it is one of the biggest barriers eye care practitioners face and so an entire module in the accreditation programme is devoted to it.
‘An emmetropic parent who has never had any vision correction needs will be in a really different place of understanding compared to a parent who is minus six and has lived with myopia for many years and even more so than a parent who perhaps wears contact lenses and has a real understanding of what contact lens wear is all about. The module encourages practitioners to understand what stage of the understanding journey the parent is on and then engage with the parent at that point. The key point is it needs to be tailored to the parent’s understanding.’
A parent guide has been developed that can be taken away after an appointment so that the information can be reinforced at home. Halling explains: ‘It can often be the case that parents will hear about myopia for the first time and be interested but need time to digest and think about what management of it means. Parents need to be given that opportunity and then follow up with them just to make sure we’re keeping the importance of myopia management at the forefront of parents’ minds.
‘We encourage practitioners to keep an upbeat and positive tone to this discussion. Look at the benefits of contact lens wear for children and particularly for kids who have active lifestyles, contact lenses are a great option. Alongside that is the benefits of myopia management, so make them aware that MiSight is a dual-purpose lens.’
A messaging portal is currently in development, which will provide a text-based user support system that links patients to practitioners in order to gauge their lens-use experience and support patient needs. ‘We know that with any contact lens, the initial experience is really important,’ Halling explains. ‘The messaging portal uses text messages to provide a simple way for parents to go back to their eye care practitioner and ask about their child’s progress. That includes applying, removing and wearing MiSight. It helps with early intervention of any specific challenges. Essentially, the eye care practitioner can actively support the new patient through those early days of wearing MiSight and make sure that’s a positive experience to start the patient off with. It’s a really simple tool that ensures the trial is a positive and successful one.’
A feedback rating system is available to rank out of 10 how their child got on with the contact lenses that day. If that rating is anything below seven then it acts as an indication for the practitioner to ring the patient and understand the obstacles they are facing. ‘It tries to make sure that there’s an early warning and then the conversation happens between the practitioner and the patient,’ Halling adds.
He shares that CooperVision is excited about the potential for myopia management and what it can do for young myopes. ‘We know we face a growing epidemic and Brilliant Futures can play a part in changing the trajectory of childhood myopia. We really encourage eye care practitioners to explore the opportunity and to take part, or sign up for the accreditation programme,’ Halling concludes.
Halling’s tips for myopia management
- Encourage myopic parents to bring their children for regular eye exams, advise on spending time outdoors and introduce the option of myopia management early.
- Choose carefully, especially when you are getting started. Myopic parents of an 11-year-old contact lens wearer will probably be an easier prospect than an eight-year-old first-time myope with emmetropic parents.
- It is not just about myopia management. Explore how contact lenses might help a child’s lifestyle now so parents recognise both the immediate and long-term benefits.