Dispensing Advice for Myopia

I recently attended ABDO’s inaugural clinical conference on myopia management hosted at the National Resource Centre (NRC) in Birmingham. Run by the ABDO team, this was a real testament to different ABDO departments collaborating to deliver a popular event. With around 100 delegates per day the NRC building was buzzing with excitement.

However, it wasn’t all positive. During our workshops, I was worried by the number of qualified dispensing optician (DO) delegates who either were not permitted by their employer to get involved with myopia management, or else felt insecure about getting involved on a personal level. One delegate even asked me, “Are we allowed to do this in practice?” To which I replied, as loud as I could, “Yes!”

As DOs, we not only have the skills and knowledge to involve ourselves in myopia management, but we also have a professional obligation to our patients to be up to date, well informed, and prepared to share the latest myopia management information with both children and parents.

Myopia management should not just be confined to consulting rooms. DOs have the appropriate skills and ability to talk to patients about this major issue, and, I would argue, they are often the best placed member of the team to help create and manage a myopia management plan. DOs often have more flexible availability to help both parents and children to understand the impact of high myopia later in life, and the various interventions employed to manage its development. With the appropriate up-to-date training, I would claim this is a beneficial use of our knowledge, skill set, and communication skills.

The security and quality of the frame fit is critical in myopia management. These spectacle lenses are all designed to fit on pupil centre – a poorly centred lens could be detrimental to the management of myopia. So, get your stock ready! There are lots of new ranges of frames specifically designed for younger faces. These new frames have adjustability and good fitting at their core – with lower crest heights, sides that can be shortened easily, and joints that allow us to adapt the fitting of these frames to the child’s head, so they remain secure enough to hold that special lens in the right place all day.