Deven Lakhani Joins Myopia Focus Advisory Committee

Myopia Focus welcomes award-winning optometrist Deven Lakhani to its Advisory Committee

Myopia Focus is pleased to announce that Deven Lakhani, optometrist, Director of D&R Optometry Ltd and former owner of Hammond Opticians, has joined the Myopia Focus Advisory Committee.

Deven brings extensive clinical and practice-based experience in children’s eye care, myopia management and contact lens innovation. He is well known within UK optometry for his commitment to helping families understand the long-term importance of managing childhood myopia and for his practical, patient-centred approach to treatment selection.

At Hammond Opticians, a long-established Enfield practice, Deven helped build a strong reputation for clinical excellence, innovation and personalised care. The practice describes itself as a family-owned, multi-award-winning business serving the people of Enfield since 1932, and notes that Deven received the Optician Award for Myopia Management 2024 for his work in advancing children’s eye health and delivering myopia management solutions.

Deven has also previously contributed to Myopia Focus and in a previous article, he explored the options available for slowing myopia progression, the associated risks and the importance of helping parents make well-informed decisions for their child’s needs.

A particular area of passion for Deven is orthokeratology, often known as Ortho-K or night lenses. Ortho-K involves wearing specially designed rigid contact lenses overnight to temporarily reshape the cornea and provide clear daytime vision without glasses or daytime contact lenses. It is one of the recognised options used in myopia management, and Myopia Focus’ parent information describes Ortho-K as a treatment that can be particularly popular for children who prefer not to wear glasses or contact lenses during the day.

Deven’s approach is rooted in tailoring care to the individual child. Speaking to Optometry Today, he has described taking patient preferences into account when recommending myopia management interventions, including fitting Ortho-K lenses for active children such as swimmers and gymnasts where this suited their lifestyle.

Commenting on his appointment, Deven Lakhani said:

“Joining the Myopia Focus Advisory Committee is a real privilege. Myopia management is one of the most important developments in children’s eye care, but many parents still do not know what options are available or why early intervention matters. I am especially passionate about Ortho-K because, for the right child, it can be life-changing: clear vision during the day, freedom from daytime glasses or contact lenses, and an evidence-led approach to helping manage progression. I look forward to supporting Myopia Focus in its mission to make accurate, accessible information available to more families.”

Richard Kadri-Langford, co-founder of Myopia Focus, said:

“We are delighted to welcome Deven to the Advisory Committee. He brings a valuable combination of clinical expertise, real-world experience, communication skills and a genuine passion for helping children and parents. His knowledge of Ortho-K and his practical understanding of how families make decisions about myopia management will be a significant asset to Myopia Focus.”