The Myopia Mindset

The Myopia Mindset
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The Myopia Mindset podcast features deep interviews with passionate and successful change-makers in the myopia industry. As well as the latest news, topics, and commentary about what makes myopia management truly special.

  1. 3d ago

    74 MMP | The FDA Is Giving Low-Dose Atropine a Second Chance

    The FDA just gave myopia management a second chance. Last October, Sydnexis’ SYD-101 — the low-dose atropine drop that would be the first FDA-approved pharmaceutical treatment for pediatric progressive myopia — was rejected in a Complete Response Letter that left most of us scratching our heads. The Phase 3 STAR trial was the largest pediatric myopia program ever completed (847 children, ages 3–14), the data looked sound, and the FDA’s reasoning never really came. Now, after Sydnexis filed a formal dispute, the FDA has announced it will convene an advisory committee to review the application. It’s a redo — and this time, the people in the room will actually know myopia. To unpack what that means, I brought back my regular guest contributor (and dad), Dr. Cary Herzberg — pioneer of myopia management with 40+ years in practice. SUBSCRIBE on SUBSTACK for early episodes, weekly newsletter, bonus content: https://myopiamindset.substack.com/

  2. Jul 24

    73 MMP | The Doctor Who Taught Himself Ortho-K — Dr. Gill on Failure, Math, and Building Doctors Own Design

    He inherited a handful of poorly-fit ortho-K patients, gave himself six months to master the specialty, and ended up co-founding a lens design company. Dr. Sukh Gill returns for a deep-dive interview. SUBSCRIBE on SUBSTACK for weekly articles, bonus content, and video podcast episodes. https://myopiamindset.substack.com/

  3. Jul 17

    72 MMP | Become the Decision Maker: Optometry's Biggest Advantage

    Here’s a question Dr. Cary Herzberg wants every optometrist to ask in the mirror: if you dropped every vision care plan tomorrow, could your practice survive? For most young ODs, the honest answer is no. Not because they aren’t great clinicians — optometry school made sure of that — but because, as Cary puts it, “they don’t teach you how to make a living.” Cary has spent 50+ years in myopia management, pioneered modern ortho-k, and mentored countless successful specialty docs. Together we’re mapping out how the modern OD can take back control of how they practice and do business — starting with step one: becoming the decision maker. Subscribe on our substack to further explore how optometrists can reclaim control of their careers in a profession increasingly shaped by vision plans, online retailers, private equity, and high patient volumes. Cary Herzberg argues that becoming the "decision maker" doesn't require owning a practice—it requires taking ownership of the value you bring, whether you're an associate or practicing in a corporate setting. We discuss why informing patients about myopia management isn't "selling," but a professional responsibility, and how today's concerns over children's screen time create an opportunity for optometrists to become trusted advocates for families. Cary outlines a five-step framework for building a fulfilling, specialty-driven career: redefine your professional identity, embrace patient education, choose a specialty, create long-term care plans, and make a compelling business case for the resources you need. The reward is greater professional autonomy, a loyal patient base built on relationships rather than insurance plans, and the freedom to practice on your own terms.

  4. Jul 10

    71 MMP - Myopia News Monthly — Is All Myopia a Disease? Atropine Combo Therapy & the Axial Length Question

    This month’s Myopia News Monthly brings Dr. Andrew Brauer and Dr. Priscilla Chang to the table for three stories — and one genuine disagreement. SUBSCRIBE ON SUBSTACK Get the rundown, links to articles, weekly newsletter, bonus content, and the video version of every podcast. https://myopiamindset.substack.com/

  5. Jul 3

    70 MMP | 5 AI Marketing Moves Every Myopia Practice Should Make This Week

    For all the noise around artificial intelligence, the most useful question for a myopia practice isn’t “Will this replace me?” It’s “Can this help me do the work I already know I should be doing?” That’s the premise of this week’s episode. I sat down with my friend Louise Curcio — a fractional marketing director with a focus on AI-augmented marketing, and formerly the director of myopia management marketing at CooperVision — to walk through a practical list of marketing moves for the myopia practice. None of these are exotic. Most are fundamentals that strong practices have used for years. What’s changed is that AI now makes each one faster, cheaper, and easier to execute, often in the time it takes to listen to this episode. Contact Louise Curcio on Linkedin Podcast + Newsletter + Bonus Content on our Substack

  6. Jun 15

    69 MMP | Myopia News Monthly - The Surgeon General Agrees With Us

    Welcome back to Myopia News Monthly, where we cover the top stories in the myopia management industry so you can grow organically into the expert you were always meant to be. This month’s panel: returning guests Dr. Andrew Brauer, Dr. Cary Herzberg, and Josh Martinez of Doctor’s Own Design/Aurora GP Lab, Inc. + SUBSTACK - Full Episodes + Bonus Content + Weekly Articles This Month’s Stories 1. HHS and the Surgeon General issue a warning on children’s screen use. 2. The FDA rejects Sydnexis’ SYD-101 — despite the STAR trial meeting its primary endpoint. 3. Hoya’s MiYOSMART iQ posts some of the strongest myopia control data ever reported.

  7. Jun 8

    68 MMP | They're Living Rent-Free in Your Practice

    Optometrists haven’t gotten a real raise in 20 to 30 years. Vision care plans are paying a fraction of what exams are worth — and the doctor is covering the overhead, the staff time, the insurance admin, and the billing. The plans cover none of it. They are, as Dr. Cary Herzberg puts it, living rent-free in your practice. Become a subscriber on our substack = full episodes + newsletter + bonus content: https://myopiamindset.substack.com/ This week, I sat down with my father — Dr. Cary Herzberg, 40+ years in specialty optometry, myopia management pioneer, and one of the people who has been trying to solve this problem since before most of us were paying attention — to have a conversation about the biggest threat facing the profession right now. We talk about why the burnout epidemic is structural, not personal. Why the best residents are doing the math and reconsidering. And what it actually looks like — practically, step by step — to build a specialty practice that doesn’t depend on being a human assembly line. This isn’t a theoretical conversation. Cary lived it. He dropped insurance, lost 80% of his patients overnight, and rebuilt around specialty care. What he found on the other side is what this episode is about. In this episode: — Why vision care plans made sense in 1985 and are a trap in 2025 — The 80/20 revelation: less than 20% of the practice was generating 80% of revenue — How to grow a specialty practice alongside your current patient base — without pulling the band-aid off — Why your specialty day has to be a sacred space (and what happens when it isn’t) — The future of optometry: board certification, OD-to-OD referrals, and the 50–100% scope expansion nobody’s talking about

  8. Jun 1

    67 MMP | The EQ Edge — How Emotional Intelligence Builds a Myopia Management Practice That Lasts

    Get the video podcast, a weekly article, and exclusive bonus content on Substack: https://myopiamindset.substack.com/ Building a myopia management referral network sounds simple on paper: introduce yourself, explain what you do, and ask other ODs to send you their myopic kids. In practice, it's a grind — cold calls that go nowhere, front desks that don't pass the message, colleagues who don't see myopia management as standard of care yet, and doors that get slammed, sometimes multiple times in a row. Dr. Marie Palladino has been through all of it. In this bonus segment, she shares the unfiltered version of how she built her referral base from zero — including what she brought to offices (food helps), what she said to convince ODs she wasn't going to poach their patients, and how she used the mutual-referral framework (offering to take their glaucoma or dry-eye cases in exchange) to turn a one-sided ask into a real partnership. She also gets into the mindset side: how she stayed motivated through repeated rejection, why she shoots for small wins instead of big asks, and the personal connection strategy she used to open doors that the myopia conversation couldn't open alone. If you're trying to grow a referral pipeline — or you've already tried and hit a wall — this is the conversation you needed to hear.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Myopia Mindset podcast features deep interviews with passionate and successful change-makers in the myopia industry. As well as the latest news, topics, and commentary about what makes myopia management truly special.

Information

  • Creator
    The Myopia Mindset
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    84
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The Myopia Mindset

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