More on Myopia Management

Products used for myopia management range from ortho-k, eye drops, multifocal contacts, as well as single vision and progressive addition spectacle lenses.

The topic was center stage in May. In addition to products discussed in “Kaboom!,” the myopia management feature on page 54 in the June 2021 issue of EB, below are some of the announcements made during the month, plus a few other recent launches. Together, they underscore the rush to bring new myopia management and myopia control products and programs to market. 

Major launches addressed in the June issue include:

• Euclid’s announcement of a new product (euclidsys.com/euclid-max-next-generation-of-ortho-k-a)

• Johnson & Johnson Vision’s announcement of FDA approval for its Acuvue Abiliti Overnight Therapeutic Lenses for myopia management (jjvision.com/press-release/johnson-johnson-vision-announces-fda-approval-acuvuer-abilititm-overnight-therapeutic)

• And the FDA designation of Essilor’s Stellest lenses as a breakthrough device. (essilorpro.com)
 

RECENT INTRODUCTIONS
Other recent launches and announcements include the following:  
• Haag-Streit’s Lenstar Myopia device was launched this year, and the company added to it in May. It consists of Haag-Streit’s Lenstar 900 optical biometer and EyeSuite software that, among other things, provide precise axial length measurements. haag-streit.com/haag-streit-diagnostics/products/biometry/lenstar-myopia/

• DreamLite ortho-k lenses by CooperVision received a CE mark in May, meaning that it has been found to be effective in slowing the progression of myopia in children. Other CooperVision myopia products that have also recently received that CE mark include: MiSight 1 day soft contacts, Paragon’s CRT lenses, and Sight Glass Vision Diffusion Optics Technology spectacle lenses. coopervision.com

•  The International Myopia Institute released its second series of white papers in April that feature current research and recommendations on myopia management. The initial series was launched in 2019 and, in honor of Myopia Awareness Week in May, the Institute announced those 2019 white papers are now available for ECPs to download in 16 languages. iovs.arvojournals.org/issues.aspx

• Vyluma, a new company launched by parent company Nevakar, will offer treatment for ophthalmic problems such as myopia. The company currently has five products in the pipeline. Among them is NVK002, a pharmaceutical agent designed to slow myopia progression that is in Phase 3 clinical trials. nevakar.com

• The rapidly expanding Treehouse Eyes practice program is the only dedicated myopia management service company in the country. It just announced its 40th locations in a total of 17 states. It partners with practice owners who want to grow their practice by going beyond simply providing products for myopia management. As Selena Chan, O.D., of Pacific Rims Optometry Group in San Francisco, puts it, “They could help me grow my practice faster than on my own as a clinician. The biggest benefit you get support, early access, and a customized approach. They customized their program to fit my practice, not the other way around.”  treehouseeyes.com
 
NOW + NEXT
Why is it important to follow the rapid-fire changes in this burgeoning category? As Andrew Neukirch, O.D., owner of Carillon Vision Care in Glenview, IL, puts it, “Myopia management is still in its early stages, and it is only going to grow. Now is the time to take action and start changing children’s lives. This,” he adds, “has been the most rewarding and fun part of my 13 years of practicing optometry!”

David Holler, O.D., who brought myopia management into the six-location Clarity Vision Operation he heads in North Carolina, agrees. “I would say you have to be completely knowledgeable on this topic because I can't think of anything that's going to be bigger over the next five or 10 years.” —Stephanie K De. Long