Jennifer Lambert joined CooperVision nearly five years ago, and today, as the company’s first Vice President of Myopia Management and Cornea Care, she has carved a niche in myopia management, driven by a commitment to making a difference in the lives of children worldwide.
Lambert hasn’t always worked in the eye care industry. But she likes a challenge, and CooperVision presented the perfect opportunity. “I have a background in consumer products and services, but I’ve always been drawn to career experiences that allow me to do something good for people while tackling a business challenge,” she says. When she worked for Pepsi, for example, while the business goal is to increase product sales, “At its heart, I was helping to create moments of pleasure in people’s days.”
FULFILLING HER MISSION AT COOPERVISION
So when she discovered the role at CooperVision, she recognized a chance to fulfill her mission. “I saw it as an opportunity to not only have a business challenge but also be part of having a powerful and positive impact on children around the world. It was really a no-brainer,” she says.
A pivotal moment in Lambert’s career came with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of MiSight® 1day, the first and only soft contact lens approved in the U.S. for myopia management. “The FDA approval was a catalyst and a landmark moment, not only for the U.S. and CooperVision, but for the global myopia community,” she says. While MiSight had already received regulatory approval and was available in many markets, the FDA approval further validated the product and reframed the role of eye care professionals (ECPs) in pediatric health.
There is still plenty of work to accomplish. “We need a collective effort to get the message out,” she says. “It’s a partnership of ECPs, professional associations, pediatric health organizations and parents.”
PARENTAL EDUCATION IN MYOPIA MANAGEMENT
A key insight Lambert has gained in her role is the importance of educating parents about myopia and its treatments. While ECPs may be equipped with information and tools, many parents are not. Helping parents understand that there are options to control the progression of myopia rather than just correct blurry vision requires candor, empathy and evidence, Lambert says.
She outlines three key strategies for ECPs to effectively engage parents:
- Lead with health: Frame myopia as a health issue rather than merely a vision correction problem. Myopia can have long-term physical, vision and mental health impacts.
- Provide clear recommendations: Offer confident solutions alongside the problem. Research shows that parents are two to three times more likely to pursue treatment when practitioners present solutions with assurance.
- Provide educational tools: Provide a mix of clear in-practice materials and links to third-party resources, such as online myopia simulators and MiSight.com.
Lambert has a positive outlook for the future of myopia management. She imagines a day when myopia management is routinely included in pediatric care, accompanied by a broader range of treatment options. She also anticipates a significant rise in both awareness and proactive measures among ECPs regarding myopia management.
A MEANINGFUL IMPACT THUS FAR
This is just the beginning, but Lambert is already witnessing the effects. “When I look at the number of children around the world that are wearing some sort of CooperVision myopia management product, it’s a significant impact,” she says.
“My mission when I joined CooperVision was to see a shift in attitude toward kids’ vision and myopia management in pediatric optometry,” Lambert says. “Although we still have a long way to go because every child isn’t being offered treatment, I am heartened by the fact that the shift is starting to accelerate.”
* Indications for use: MiSight® 1 day (omafilcon A) soft (hydrophilic) contact lenses for daily wear are indicated for the correction of myopic ametropia and for slowing the progression of myopia in children with non-diseased eyes, who at the initiation of treatment are 8-12 years of age and have a refraction of -0.75 to -4.00 diopters (spherical equivalent) with ≤ 0.75 diopters of astigmatism. The lens is to be discarded after each removal.
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