The landmark International Myopia Institute (IMI) White paper reports were published on 28 February 2019. As lead author on the Clinical Management Guidelines paper, I was thrilled to see the work of my 13 co-authors and I shared with a keen clinician audience worldwide. It was drawn to my attention, though, that the promised Supplementary Digital Content had not been published, so here it is. It's also a little easier publishing it as a blog as I can include the links to the cited resources.
Key open-access meta-analysis and systematic review papers
These are all open access so free to download the full paper - useful for clinicians and scientifically minded parents alike.
- Efficacy comparison of 16 interventions for myopia control in children: a network meta-analysis (Huang et al., 2016)
- The safety of soft contact lenses in children (Bullimore, 2017)
- The safety of OK: a systematic review (Liu and Xie, 2016)
- Time spent in outdoor activities in relation to myopia prevention and control: a meta-analysis and systematic review (Xiong et al., 2017)
Online practitioner education resources
These are examples of currently available online practitioner resources:
- Professional (non peer reviewed) publications are a source for clinically focussed articles, such as Contact Lens Spectrum (check out their March 2019 special Myopia Management Issue) and Review of Optometry
- A clinically-focussed compendium of the latest research and practical advice on myopia management is available right here on this website.
- A practitioner education website with support resources is managemyopia.org
- A comprehensive listing of publication abstracts are available from the practitioner education site myopiacontrol.org/.
- A practitioner blog for clinically relevant research, available in English, German and French, is available at myopiacare.com/blog
- A beginner’s guide to OK principles and fitting is provided at eyefit.com.au
- The Brien Holden Vision Institute (BHVI) Managing Myopia course was piloted in Australia in 2017 and is now being extended, in an online and webinar format, to other countries. Clinicians can register their interest for future courses online.
Online forums
These are closed Facebook groups requiring administration permission to enter. Simply search the name and you'll find them, or use these links. Examples include:
- Myopia Profile. ‘An international collective for optometrists to discuss myopia control – science, clinical cases and management – with a focus on putting research into practice.’
- International Academy of OK and Myopia Control. ‘The IAOMC is open to practitioners, researchers and scientists interested in corneal reshaping.’
- Ortho-K Lens Specialists. ‘This group is accessible to Doctors or Opticians that are fitting Ortho-K lenses and other professionals in the Ortho-K community.’
- EurOK – European Academy of OK and Myopia Control – the European section of the IAOMC, ‘open to all practitioners and researchers in the field of OK and Myopia Control.’
- American Academy of OK and Myopia Control
- OK Society of Oceania – orthokeratologists group.
Clinical conferences
Many clinical conferences now offer myopia management streams or lectures on their program, particularly contact lens conferences. Examples include:
- Vision by Design, USA, annual
- Global Specialty Lens Symposium, USA, annual
- British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) conferences and events, UK (annual / biennial) and Asia (biennial)
- Dutch Contact Lens Congress (NCC), Netherlands, biennial
- EurOK meetings, in Europe
- Orthokeratology Society of Oceania (OSO) conference, Australia, biennial
- International Cornea and Contact Lens Congress (ICCLC), Australia, biennial
Resources for practitioner-patient communication
Below are examples of currently available practitioner-patient communication tools and resources:
- The open access, peer reviewed research articles described above can be provided by practitioners to parents interested in research detail.
- A paper based, practitioner-patient communication tool, with chairside reference guide, can be downloaded in English, Chinese, German or French from the Resources Page of this website
- A patient-specific explanation of myopia and its consequences, a linked blog, and a short survey to explain genetic, environmental and individual risk factors for myopia development and progression is available at mykidsvision.org
- The Brien Holden Vision Institute Myopia Calculator is designed to predict progression of myopia throughout childhood, based on the child’s current age and refraction. It then allows the practitioner to apply different myopia treatment strategies to demonstrate the effect of myopia management.
- Myappia is an android app which also allows for visualisation of childhood myopia progression based on research, and the likely outcomes of treatment choices.
- An information home page, comprehensive survey tool for myopia risks and two leaflets on myopia (available for purchase) are found at myopiacare.com. This is available in English, German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Polish and Norwegian.
- Myopia treatment types, FAQ’s and a blog for parents are available at myopiainstitute.com
- Information on myopia for parents can be found at http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/myopia.htm
Both www.myopiacare.com (International) and www.myopiainstitute.com (North America) offer a ‘Specialist / Doctor finder’ where a practitioner can apply to have their name listed, for public searches.
Software tools available to customize OK lens designs
Example informed consent form
Myopia Control Treatment Informed Consent example form, from the University of California Berkeley Myopia Control Clinic, can be viewed at full size using the link.
About Kate
Dr Kate Gifford is a clinical optometrist, researcher, peer educator and professional leader from Brisbane, Australia, and a co-founder of Myopia Profile.
