Myopia Management as a Solid Business Foundation

Although it may seem like a niche subspecialty in the grand scheme of optometry, the truth is that myopia management, when approached strategically, can be the single biggest differentiator in building a practice’s brand within a community, fueling acquisitions of new practice locations or doctors, and driving profitability. In addition to serving a clear clinical need, offering myopia services represents a scalable, cashflow-positive engine that balances patient care with sustainable practice growth.

In this article, I review the aspects of myopia care that make it not only a beneficial service to your patients, but also a rewarding business venture that can help scale your practice.

ESTABLISHING YOUR BRAND WITH YOUNG FAMILIES

Profitability begins with reputation. At Los Altos Optometric and Pacific Eye Care, we noticed a growing concern among parents: Their children’s lens prescriptions were climbing year after year. We found that many families weren’t simply looking for a new pair of glasses when they came into the office; they were looking for long-term vision solutions for their children.

By positioning ourselves early as leaders in myopia management, we created a unique identity in our community. Local families came to see us not only as eye doctors, but also as partners in their children’s future eye health. This trust and recognition has been the foundation of our growth and has turned into a self-sustaining referral system; schools, parenting groups, and local networks often send families looking for myopia solutions directly to our team because they recognize our clinical expertise in myopia control. In addition to generating revenue from the business these families bring in, this system also takes significant pressure off our teams to engage in other forms of marketing to grow our patient base.

SCALING THROUGH ACQUISITIONS AND DOCTORS

Once established, reputation translates into something even more valuable, from a financial standpoint: scalability. With myopia management as a cornerstone service, we had both the patient demand and the consistent revenue streams to confidently acquire new practices and expand our team of doctors.

Los Altos Optometric Group and Pacific Eye Care are both thriving, multi-doctor practices supported by the stability of our myopia management programs. Our offices are the result of practice acquisitions and mergers over time. Each acquisition was de-risked because we weren’t just buying charts—we were layering in a growth engine that attracts new families and differentiates us financially from standard insurance-driven practices.

THE ECONOMICS OF THE GLOBAL FEE MODEL

Myopia management, in my experience, is one of the clearest examples of how clinical care and business sense align. My practices use an all-cash-pay, global fee model that bundles care, follow-ups, and treatment into a year-long program. Parents value this model because it is transparent and oriented toward clinical outcomes. For the practice, the economics are transformative: We have found that one myopia management patient is equal to about seven to 10 standard insurance-based patients, in terms of revenue generated. That means we can see fewer patients to realize a profit, have more time available to spend per child with myopia, and enjoy a significantly higher per-hour revenue. This model also removes dependence on low-margin vision plan reimbursements.

In short, myopia management flips the traditional optometric model on its head. Instead of chasing volume, you build depth, and instead of insurance dictating your margins, you have the freedom to set your own.

THE BOTTOM LINE

At ODs on Finance, we often say that the best practice models are those that merge excellent patient care with financial freedom. Practices with a strong program for myopia management are a textbook example. Clinically, you’re helping children avoid progressing to high myopia and potentially experiencing lifelong complications; financially, you’re building a high-margin, cash-based service that creates stability and fuels expansion. This model has allowed our practices to grow into thriving businesses, while helping our doctors maintain a healthy work-life balance.

For doctors considering whether to invest in myopia management, I’d say, don’t look at it as just another service. Of course, it is always beneficial to seek counsel from an accountant or financial advisor as you make decisions for the long-term strategy of your business, but in my experience, investing in myopia management can become a foundation for your next decade of practice growth.