When Caitlyn McHugh-Glab, OD, purchased Focused Eye Care in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, she knew she wanted to build a solid myopia management practice. Over the past five years, she has honed her approach, motivated families and become a change agent in her community. In doing so, she has transformed a small practice into a hub for early intervention, education and cutting-edge myopia management.
She attended the AOA on Capitol Hill in 2024 where the American Optometric Association and CooperVision announced the launch of The Myopia Collective. The organizations issued an open call for nominations for Change Agents. Dr. McHugh-Glab says that message immediately resonated with her. “At that moment, I felt like I needed to be a part of this,” she says. She was selected in the first cohort, and recently attended a second annual gathering of Change Agents, held in Chicago in August.
Dr. McHugh Glab says that surrounding herself with like-minded practitioners amplifies her efforts. Engaging with colleagues who share her passion for myopia management has driven her to refine protocols, exchange ideas and continually improve patient care. She takes to heart the mission of the Myopia Collective and in being a Change Agent to help spread awareness to her patients and beyond that progressive myopia should not go uncheck.
RAISING AWARENESS, ENGAGING FAMILIES
Education is at the heart of Dr. McHugh Glab’s practice. She plants the seeds early, starting in InfantSEE and kindergarten exams. Her goal is to make parents aware of screen-time balance, sleep prioritization and regular eye checks. In addition, she takes the message to the community. For example, she handed out Halloween goodies, with treats stapled to a card with information. She sponsors local parks programs and has hosted an open house, with plans to expand that to a more regular feature. In each of these settings, she talks about myopia management, shares colorful handouts and invites questions about personalized treatment options.
She does most of the work herself. An associate works one half day per week, and her three dedicated staff members help her support all patients. Technology investments have helped her streamline the process.
She has a Topcon optical biometer and corneal topographer, and she recently added Ocumetra subscription to help her generate customized reports that illustrate each child’s current refractive error and axial length measurements. These data-rich visuals streamline conversations in the exam chair and help families track progress with clarity and confidence.
Guided by objective growth metrics, Dr. McHugh-Glab recommends the appropriate modality for each child. Her first choice for most young patients is FDA-approved MiSight® 1-day soft contact lenses. For swimmers or high-activity youngsters, orthokeratology may be more suitable. In sibling cases, one child might benefit from MiSight while the other wears ortho-k lenses. By aligning treatment with lifestyle and axial length data, she crafts individualized plans that resonate with parents and empower children.
TRANSPARENT PRICING
To encourage full participation, Dr. McHugh-Glab offers a prepaid global fee program covering all necessary visits, measurements and materials. She emphasizes transparency by providing a detailed breakdown of fees. She’ll also tell patients and parents starting out that only the training charge for MiSight is nonrefundable. That provides them with an extra confidence to try it.
She says that she wants myopia management to be within reach to more patients. “It’s so disheartening when I see a new patients who is already at a -.300D or -4.00D, and no one has ever mentioned progressive myopia to them before,” she says.
She puts an emphasis on the positives. “Kids can be very self-conscious, so I try never to use the word ‘worse’ in the exam room. Even if they ask if the myopia has gotten worse, I try to be uplifting. I’ll say, ‘You’re doing such a good job.’ These young patients need to be supported.”
She and her staff celebrate the “little victories: a child mastering contacts for the first time or a returning patients who has had no change in axial length or prescription.” These personal moments fuel her dedication to spread the word throughout her community, driving a growing stream of referrals and inquiries.
Read more: The Myopia Collective is now in its second year.
Read how other women ODs are building a special focus in their practices.
