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Ocoee, Fla.—Dr. Roxanne Achong-Coan of the Coan Eye Care & Optical Boutique located here has been deeply interested in working with myopic patients and staying abreast of treatment options for most of her career. She is certified in the fitting of Paragon CRT lenses and is a Fellow of the International Academy of Orthokeratology and

Myopia Control (FIAOMC). She’s also one of the first to be involved with the recently launched Brilliant Futures Myopia Management Program by CooperVision.

Achong-Coan said she decided to become actively interested in myopia management, in part, because she was myopic while growing up and her two sons also are myopic. “I was already ahead of the game doing myopia management [when they were diagnosed], and I knew what we needed to do,” she said.

Although myopia has become a much-discussed topic among eyecare professionals, Achong-Coan said she hasn’t observed a significant increase in awareness among patients in her Orlando marketing area. She noted there are a few referrals to her practice, and the common question patients are asking is, “Why wasn’t this mentioned to me before?”

“In our practice, we try to be proactive about it,” she said, especially when the practice is aware of a family history of myopia for its pediatric patients. “We are planting the seeds right now, and we are explaining the risks of myopia.”





Achong-Coan noted that over the years she has modified her tactics for treating myopic patients as new options become available and because of the increase in the amount of data on the topic that is now available. “Every year I make small adjustments to what I do, and the lens designs are improving, too,” she said, noting that by attending various professional meetings she stays well-informed on treatment protocol.

Addressing the topic with both the patient and the parents also is a key part of effective myopia management. “You want parents to feel comfortable and to know that they are going into a [sound] program…. And it’s really key that we have some kind of support network for them,” she said.

In terms of enhancing the support network, Achong-Coan said she is looking forward to the launch of a new app under the umbrella of CooperVision’s Brilliant Futures program, which she said will significantly improve engagement between ECPs and their myopic patients. “There will always be constant communication with the app,” she said, adding that the app also should give doctors easy access to research, a toolbox of resources and other myopia management data.