How to Train a Myopia Management Champion: A Guide for Canadian Optometry Practices

The Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) has recognized myopia as a significant global public health concern. As such, Optometrists in Canada have a responsibility not only to correct myopia but also to actively manage its progression using evidence-based interventions to lower the long-term eye health risks associated with myopia.¹

However, successfully addressing myopia requires more than clinical interventions—it calls for a coordinated, team-based approach. Every member of your practice, from front-desk receptionists to optical dispensers, plays an essential role in clearly communicating about myopia control. As Optometrists, equipping your entire team to effectively discuss myopia management with patients and parents helps streamline clinical workflow, increases adherence to management plans, and ultimately improves patient outcomes. This guide outlines practical steps to help you train your practice staff to become Myopia Management Champions, effectively discussing myopia management with patients and parents at every key stage of the patient journey.

Step 1: Training Staff on Myopia as a Public Health Issue

Ensuring your practice staff understands the broader impact of myopia beyond simply needing vision correction is essential for effective patient communication. By helping staff members recognize myopia as a significant public health issue associated with long-term eye health risks, you provide them with the context needed to appreciate the importance of early and proactive management. When your team fully grasps these implications, they’re better prepared to communicate confidently with parents and patients, reinforcing the significance of your clinical recommendations and the benefits of myopia control strategies. Key messages to communicate are:

Myopia typically gets worse, or progresses, every few to several months in children.² This leads to unstable or changing vision between eye exams.
Myopia increases the risk of serious eye diseases such as myopic maculopathy, retinal detachment, glaucoma, and cataracts.³
The earlier myopia develops, the greater the risk of high myopia and associated complications.⁴
Myopia progression can be managed, reducing long-term risks.³

Training Methods:

Conduct regular team meetings to discuss the latest research and management strategies.
Create a practice team account on MyopiaProfile.com for staff to utilize the free Myopia Management for the Practice Team online course.
Role-play conversations with patients and parents.

Example: During a staff training session, simulate a conversation where a parent questions, “What’s the point of myopia management anyway? It’s just a prescription—it doesn’t really matter.” In response, the Myopia Management Champion can clearly explain:

“Actually, it’s more than just a prescription. Myopia typically gets worse every few months in children, giving them unstable vision between eye exams, and also increases the risk of serious eye conditions later in life, such as retinal detachment. By managing your child’s myopia now, we can give them more stable vision between eye exams, and reduce the progression and lower their long-term risk of developing these complications.” Practicing scenarios like this ensures your team feels comfortable addressing common misconceptions confidently and clearly.

Step 2: Myopia Communication During Appointment Scheduling

Clear and informed communication at the first point of contact—often during a phone call to schedule an appointment—can help lay the groundwork for effective myopia management. Front-line staff play a critical role in helping parents understand why regular eye exams are important even in the absence of symptoms, as children may not always recognize or report visual issues. The CAO recommends the following eye examination schedule for children to aid in early detection:⁵

Infants and Toddlers (Birth to 24 months): First eye exam between 6 and 9 months.
Preschool Children (2 to 5 years): At least one exam between ages 2 and 5.
School-Age Children (6 to 19 years): Annual eye exams.

As well as the above schedule, staff answering phones can also be trained to:

Identify children who may be at risk (e.g., children with a family history of myopia, or those spending excessive time on screens).⁶
Briefly introduce the concept of myopia management as part of pediatric care.
Educate parents on the importance of early detection and early intervention.

Example: You can simulate a receptionist/optical dispenser answering a call from a parent asking if an eye exam is necessary for their 7-year-old child so they can practice responding with the following: “Absolutely—regular eye exams are important, especially at your child’s age. Even if they haven’t mentioned any vision problems, children don’t always realize when their sight has changed. Short-sightedness, or myopia, is becoming very common in school-aged children so it’s something we would check for too. Let’s book an appointment so we can check their eyes and keep you well-informed.”

Step 3: Engaging Parents and Patients Upon Arrival

Your front-desk team plays an important role in setting the stage for effective myopia management by welcoming families and proactively introducing the concept. This initial interaction is a great opportunity to reinforce key messages and encourage families to discuss their concerns openly. Staff members can:

Briefly explain what to expect during the myopia examination.
Offer educational resources such as brochures or handouts about myopia management.
Encourage families to ask questions or voice concerns throughout the visit.

If your trained team members perform pre-testing (e.g., axial length measurements or corneal topography—learn more in our article The Different Instruments in Myopia Management [LINK to MyMyopia.Ca]), they can use this interaction to address initial questions and reinforce the importance of proactive management.

Example: If a parent asks at check-in, “What should we expect during today’s consultation?” your receptionist can reply:“Today’s appointment will include a thorough assessment of your child’s vision, including tests for myopia using a variety of different equipment. Here’s a brochure explaining why managing myopia is important for your child’s vision and long-term eye health—please feel free to ask our team any questions!”

Step 4: Supporting the Optometrist After the Eye Examination

Once the optometrist has diagnosed myopia and recommended a management plan, staff can be trained to support with the following.

Answer any follow-up questions from parents.
Help parents understand the benefits of early intervention and long-term follow-ups. For a detailed understanding of the follow-up protocols, staff can read the article Follow-up schedules for myopia management which goes through protocols for different interventions.
Provide detailed take-home materials on myopia control methods or refer parents to MyKidsVision.org for evidence-based, jargon-free guidance – you can keep a printed QR code sheet of popular articles from MyKidsVision.org for quick and easy referencing.
Ensure patients leave with a clear understanding of their next steps and scheduled follow-up appointments.

Example: You can simulate a scenario during training of a parent who is unsure about the treatment options for myopia management. A staff member speaking with a parent after the optometrist might say:

“Thanks for coming in today. If you’d like to learn more about myopia and the different treatment options in a parent-friendly format, I recommend visiting MyKidsVision.org — it’s a trusted website created by optometrists that explains everything in clear, easy-to-understand language. You can scan these QR codes to read articles that answer your specific questions.”

Step 5: Training Staff on Optical Dispensing for Myopia Management

Dispensing staff play a key role in the successful implementation of myopia management. In addition to fitting a child with glasses, they help ensure treatment plans are understood and followed correctly. To support this, staff should be confident in discussing the specific needs of children undergoing myopia control. They can be trained to:

Briefly explain how interventions work: Optical dispensers may be asked to explain the difference between single vision correction and myopia control interventions and so understanding how they work can be helpful. Advice on how spectacle lenses for myopia control work can be found in the article All about eye glasses for myopia control on MyKidsVision.org.
Picking appropriate frames for myopia control spectacles: Staff should select frames carefully to maximize the effectiveness of myopia control spectacle lenses. Key measurements include pupil heights within the frame to ensure lens centration, while adjusting and assessing frame stability ensure optimal fit and minimize frame slippage. Ideal frames should position the child’s pupils centrally within the frame, avoiding excessively deep frames where the pupil sits too high. Properly sized frames help ensure the maximum treatment zone is utilized.
Provide advice on full-time wear: Staff should clearly explain to parents and children that spectacles or soft contact lenses need to be worn full-time, during all waking hours—not just for school—to achieve the intended slowing of myopia progression.⁷ With ortho-k, staff can advise that these lenses should be worn every night during sleep, for a minimum of 6-8 hours.
Setting clear expectations regarding adaptation periods: If a child experiences visual discomfort when first picking up their spectacle lenses or soft contact lenses, dispensing staff should reassure both the child and parents that this is common and part of the adaptation process, typically lasting about a week. After verifying the fit, lens heights, and prescription, staff should encourage perseverance and consistent wear. If discomfort persists beyond the adaptation period, families can be advised to return for a follow-up assessment.

Example: A patient picking up their first pair of myopia control lenses might ask, “How are these different from regular glasses?” Staff can be prepared to explain:

“These lenses are different from standard single vision lenses because they create two signals: one signal to correct vision, and one signal to “slow down” eye growth. Standard lenses only create that first signal and therefore do not help slow myopia progression.”

Step 6: Post-Appointment Follow-Up Calls

To ensure adherence to the myopia management plan, staff can be trained on the following:

Follow up within a week to address any potential questions regarding spectacles or contact lenses.
Reinforce key lifestyle recommendations, such as increasing outdoor time and managing near work time.
Schedule necessary follow-up visits and remind parents of the importance of monitoring myopia progression.
Provide a direct contact for any additional concerns or questions about the treatment plan.
Encourage parents to track changes in vision or symptoms and report any concerns promptly.

Example: A follow-up call script could include: “Hi [Parent’s Name], this is [Staff Name] from [Practice Name]. I just wanted to check in and see how [Child’s Name] is doing with their special new lenses for myopia treatment. Have you got any questions about the new glasses/contact lenses? Let us know if we can help!”

Step 7: Long-Term Follow-Up and Ongoing Education

Since myopia management is an ongoing process, practices can consider the following.

Send periodic reminders about follow-up appointments.
Provide updates on new research and treatment options.
Encourage continued engagement through newsletters, social media, and in-office seminars.
Establish a patient education portal on the practice website, providing easy access to resources.
Work with schools and community groups to raise awareness about myopia prevention and management.

If you want to learn more about how you can utilize social media and your website to communicate about myopia management, read our article What to Add to Your Website on Myopia Management.

Additional Strategies for Staff Development

In addition to foundational training, ongoing staff development ensures continued success in myopia management. Consider implementing the following strategies to continuously enhance staff competence and maintain high standards in your practice:

Host expert-led workshops: Invite myopia key opinion leaders to conduct training sessions.
Create a mentorship program: Senior staff members can mentor newer team members in patient communication and myopia education.
Monitor performance: Use patient feedback and adherence rates to refine staff training programs.
Engage with industry updates: Stay informed about new developments in myopia management through online resources, journals, conferences, and other professional networks.

Key Takeaways

Empowering your entire practice team to confidently communicate about myopia management helps streamline care, improve patient understanding, and support better long-term outcomes. With structured training, clear messaging at every touchpoint, and access to trusted resources, your staff can become true Myopia Management Champions—ensuring every patient and parent receives consistent, evidence-based guidance throughout their journey.

References:

Canadian Association of Optometrists. CAO position statement on myopia management. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Association of Optometrists; 2022. Available from: https://opto.ca/sites/default/files/resources/documents/cao_position_statement_myopia_management_2022.pdf
Donovan L, Sankaridurg P, Ho A, Naduvilath T, Smith EL 3rd, Holden BA. Myopia progression rates in urban children wearing single-vision spectacles. Optom Vis Sci. 2012 Jan;89(1):27-32.
Bullimore MA, Ritchey ER, Shah S, Leveziel N, Bourne RRA, Flitcroft DI. The Risks and Benefits of Myopia Control. Ophthalmology. 2021 Nov;128(11):1561-1579.
Lin LL, Shih YF, Hsiao CK, Chen CJ. Prevalence of myopia in Taiwanese schoolchildren: 1983 to 2000. Ann Acad Med Singap. 2004 Jan;33(1):27-33.
Canadian Association of Optometrists. Recommended frequency of eye examinations for children in Canada. Comprehensive Pediatric Eye and Vision Examination: Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline. 2017.
Morgan IG, Wu PC, Ostrin LA, Tideman JWL, Yam JC, Lan W, Baraas RC, He X, Sankaridurg P, Saw SM, French AN, Rose KA, Guggenheim JA. IMI Risk Factors for Myopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2021 Apr 28;62(5):3.
Bao J, Huang Y, Li X, Yang A, Zhou F, Wu J, Wang C, Li Y, Lim EW, Spiegel DP, Drobe B, Chen H. Spectacle Lenses With Aspherical Lenslets for Myopia Control vs Single-Vision Spectacle Lenses: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2022 May 1;140(5):472-478.