FOR THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF CONTACT LENS SPECTRUM, we decided to show our gratitude to the eyecare profession by honoring those people who have made, are making, or will make an impact on the contact lens industry, particularly within the field of myopia management.

Contact Lens Spectrum asked our readership to nominate people “who have made a significant impact to the field of myopia management.” Our request generated an overwhelming response—more than 100 individuals were nominated by hundreds of nominators from around the world. The total number of nominations, in addition to the quality of those nominations showing international recognition in myopia management, were used to determine this final list of eight.

We asked each honoree for his or her predictions about what will be the most important development in myopia management in the next five-to-10 years and what critical advice they would tell individuals aspiring to enter the field of myopia management. The following are their answers along with a brief bio of their accomplishments.

NOEL A. BRENNAN, MSCOPTOM, PHD, CLINICAL RESEARCH FELLOW, JOHNSON & JOHNSON VISION

An internationally recognized researcher and educator, Dr. Brennan has led an extensive global scientific program studying myopia epidemiology, metrics of treatment efficacy, and groundbreaking optical designs of contact lenses. This work has resulted in excess of 100 patents, original manuscripts, and conference presentations over the last decade.

Predictions: “Increased public awareness alongside the entry of simpler and more effective treatments to the marketplace will drive soaring demand for myopia management.”

Advice: “The only way that we can truly impact the future burden of eye disease associated with the complications of myopia is to treat every young myopic patient (child and teenager).”

MARK BULLIMORE, MCOPTOM, PHD, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY

Dr. Bullimore is an internationally renowned scientist and educator. His expertise in myopia and in other areas has contributed to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of Paragon CRT and CooperVision’s MiSight. He has co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles including several modern classics in the field of myopia management.

Predictions: “We will see the FDA approval of low-concentration atropine, novel spectacle lens designs, and next-generation soft lenses for myopia management; the adoption of myopia management and axial length measurement as the standard of care; and advances in the prediction and prevention of myopia.”

Advice: “Find your voice for communicating with parents; start with straightforward cases and options, but work toward offering a comprehensive range of therapies for myopia management and prevention; and partner with pediatricians and schools.”

PAULINE CHO, BOPTOM, MED, PHD, PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF OPTOMETRY OF POLYU (HONG KONG)

Dr. Cho has been teaching contact lens practice in Hong Kong for many years. Her extensive publications reflect her research interest in orthokeratology and myopia management, including best clinical practice. She is also an associate editor (Asia) of Contact Lens & Anterior Eye.

Predictions: “Myopia control treatments will become more affordable for myopic children.”

Advice: “Don’t think about what you can do; just do what you can. Follow evidence-based practice, and always put your patients’ interests first. ‘There are no great people in this world, only great challenges which ordinary people rise to meet’ -- William Frederick Halsey Jr.”

IAN FLITCROFT, MA, DPHIL, FRCOPHTH, CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AT TEMPLE STREET (IRELAND) AND TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN

Professor Flitcroft, a pediatric ophthalmologist, is internationally recognized for his work over the last 20 years on the public health implications of myopia and the need for biological treatments. His current research includes the physiological basis of myopia, clinical epidemiology/big data. He is a principal investigator on multiple myopia treatment trials.

Predictions: “After years of searching for treatments that slow down myopia, we now have multiple interventions of proven efficacy. The critical development that will drive adoption of myopia management is tools that help clinicians decide whom to treat, when to start treatment, how to monitor treatment efficacy, and how to determine when treatment can be safely ended.”

Advice: “You don’t need to know everything and have every piece of equipment to start myopia management. Pick one evidence-based intervention that fits your practice. Then pick your first patient and build from there. Once you start, you’ll never stop. You can learn everything that you need to know as you go on this exciting journey.”

KATE GIFFORD, PHD, BAPPSC(OPTOM), GCOT, MYOPIA PROFILE PTY LTD

Dr. Gifford is a clinician-scientist and educator who is renowned for making myopia research accessible, engaging, and actionable for eyecare practitioners. She is recognized as the lead author of the International Myopia Institute’s Clinical Management Guidelines and as co-founder, alongside Dr. Paul Gifford, of Myopia Profile—a multi-channel educational resource dedicated to childhood myopia management.

Predictions: “The evolution of new spectacle, contact lens, and pharmaceutical treatments will be matched with more scientific understanding and clinical resources on how to gauge myopia management success for individual patients. Starting myopia management is getting easier; ensuring the right treatment for patients and tracking outcomes is the next evolution to more widespread clinical confidence and uptake.”

Advice: “Embrace education and action. First, educate yourself on simple steps to have a conversation about myopia risks with parents, and provide advice on visual environment for pre-myopes and myopic children. Then, take action—prescribe an optical intervention that both corrects and manages myopia, and stay in touch with clinical innovations in this exciting field.”

BRIEN HOLDEN, PHD, DSC (1942–2015)

Highlights from Professor Holden’s career include developing the first silicone hydrogel lens and authoring research on oxygen requirements to maintain eye health, myopia, and more.

Predictions: “[For myopia management,] it’s the combination of the science, research, development, education, commercialization, and humanitarian attitudes that have led to the situation in which it makes sense to put all of this together.”

Advice: While accepting the Charles F. Prentice Medal, optometry’s highest honor, and acknowledging contributions and collaborations throughout his career, Professor Holden quoted Sir Isaac Newton, saying, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”

EARL L. SMITH III, OD, PHD, PROFESSOR EMERITUS, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY 

 

Dr. Smith’s research interests are focused on the role of vision in regulating refractive development and eye growth. In particular, his work demonstrating the significant contribution of the peripheral retina to vision-dependent refractive development provided the scientific foundation for many of the current optical treatment strategies for reducing myopia progression.

Predictions: “A variety of novel spectacle lens designs are showing substantial promise in efforts to reduce myopia progression in children, and many are likely to become available to eyecare providers soon. Having safe and effective spectacle treatment options, particularly for very young children, will greatly expand the range of patients who are good candidates for myopia management and will expand the number of eyecare providers who will be actively involved in myopia management.”

Advice: “Myopia management should be the standard of care for myopic children…and should be presented as a treatment option to all children at risk of myopia onset or progression.”

JEFFREY J. WALLINE, OD, PHD, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY

 Dr. Walline has conducted clinical trials to investigate the effects of single-vision, GP, orthokeratology, and soft multifocal contact lenses on myopia progression in children. He is currently the study chair of the Bifocal Contact Lenses In Nearsighted Kids (BLINK) Study, sponsored by the National Eye Institute.

Predictions: “I believe that myopia management will begin to shift to delaying the onset of myopia, which may have a more profound effect on reducing the amount of myopia in adulthood.”

Advice: “Don’t aspire to enter the field of myopia management; jump right in! Many evidence-based treatments are currently available, so we have a variety of options for our patients. Myopia management is quickly becoming the standard of care, so you need to get on board.” CLS