Having the opportunity to write for a column like this one in Contact Lenses Today is a huge honor. We have readers from all over the world who tune in weekly to read what we have to say. It is super important to try to bring value to the audience to respect the time that people take to read our columns each week.
So, I decided to take a moment to stop and reflect. This year marks my 15th year as an optometrist. I was 24 when I graduated from optometry school. So, in many ways, I grew up in life as I grew into the role of a practitioner. I have noted that several key themes either have or are dominating my contact lens practice:
1. Daily disposable lenses are the best option for patients.
2. Myopia is a disease that must be slowed or halted.
3. Wearing contact lenses after the age of 40 is possible, and my job is to make it a reality.
4. Custom lens wearers deserve the best vision, health, and comfort, and it’s my responsibility to stay focused for them.
With these four “truths” as my North star, I go to work daily seeing patients. If someone comes in with a lens other than a daily disposable lens, my obligation is to show him or her a better alternative. If a child is heading toward myopia or is already there, we initiate a myopia management protocol. If someone is wearing lenses contrary to his or her best health, we intervene to help him or her wear lenses beyond the age of 40, and we educate and manipulate vision for those who have presbyopia. If a patient comes in with anything that is not as good as it can be for his or her specialty lenses, we look at all of the options—scleral, soft, hybrid, and corneal—to master that patient’s vision.
What are your North stars? Are you driving toward them with a ferocious diligence? Are you focused on long-term or short-term gains? Come to a conclusion of what is important to you and your patients, and do not stray from what is best and right.
READ more of my article here at Contact Lens Spectrum
