We live in an increasingly online world: one that encourages us to stay constantly tied to screens for work, connection and convenience. This digital lifestyle may be a major contributor to myopia, also referred to as short-sightedness. As digital devices dominate daily life and myopia’s prevalence soars, it is children who face the brunt of the burden.1 Since the COVID-19 pandemic, children’s screen time has increased while outdoor activity has significantly decreased. This shift in behavior has led to a huge influx of myopia developing earlier and advancing quicker than ever before.2,3
The Growing Burden of Myopia
Myopia’s prevalence is increasing so rapidly that the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a major global health concern, predicting that 40% of the global population will live with this condition by 2030.4,5 Although generally seen as an inconvenience, myopia can progress in severity into high myopia. This more severe form increases the chance of developing sight-threatening complications, such as macular degeneration and cataracts. 6,7
Innovation across screening and management solutions is essential to tackle children’s growing vision health needs. Awareness and education around the condition among parents and caregivers of children must be prioritized to ensure access to life-changing vision care. To enable this, HOYA has joined the WHO SPECS 2030 initiative, calling for coordinated global action amongst all stakeholders to improve access to affordable and high-quality vision care.8
Holistic Innovation in Myopia Management
Thanks to advancements in ophthalmic optics, Eye Care Professionals can now offer children more choices to safeguard their vision for the future. With innovations such as the clinically proven Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (D.I.M.S) Technology, used in MiYOSMART* spectacle lenses, the progression of myopia can be slowed over time – even completely halted in some children.9
* (MiYOSMART spectacle lenses have not been approved for use in the management of myopia in all countries, including the US, and are not currently available for sale in all countries, including the US.)
These outcomes represent a transformative shift in children’s vision care, driven by science. Using novel and cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI)-powered software such as Digital Centration Systems, Eye Care Professionals can easily achieve accurate and efficient spectacle lens optimization so that every child can have the vision they deserve.
Early detection is critically important to minimize the impact of myopia on children’s quality of life and ensure timely treatment provision. Achieving this requires parental education and access to robust and innovative screening programs. With screening technologies such as autorefraction and optical biometry, refractive errors and significant anatomical values that impact myopia progression, can be detected swiftly and easily.10
Seeing The Bigger Picture
But technology is only one part of the solution. As SPECS 2030 highlights, uncorrected refractive error is the leading cause of vision impairment globally – yet only 36% of people with refractive error have received access to appropriate spectacles.8 Enabling access to vision care is critical, and is only possible through global stakeholder collaboration.
Creating real change for children with myopia requires combining technology with education and awareness. Parents, teachers, and policymakers must be educated on symptoms, preventative measures, the importance of screening, and treatment solutions. These actions can be facilitated and accelerated with technology, demonstrating the significant positive impact the digital age can have when we embrace it.
In this screen-centric world, those in a position of responsibility for children must take action to promote vision-friendly behaviors, such as spending at least 13 hours per week outside11 and minimizing near-vision use, especially screen time.12 Advocating for healthcare policies that put vision care first is crucial to ensuring treatments are accessible and reimbursed. By taking these actions, we can better ensure that children’s vision needs can be met as soon as possible.
Setting Our Sights on a Vision-First Future
The future of myopia management holds exciting possibilities. We are seeing a shift change across the whole of the eye care world. At HOYA Vision Care, meeting the vision needs of as many people as possible through solutions that are clinically validated comes front and center in our Research & Development pipeline. Using innovative solutions such as highly sensitive AI-powered eye exams and optical/biometrical evaluations, we could predict and address myopia development before symptoms even arise.13 This is why we are investigating the eyes of pre-myopic children, before vision impairment sets in.
Safeguarding for the Future
As the vision equity gap widens, the need for access to innovative eye care solutions is now, more than ever, essential in protecting vision health for the future. Fully embracing advanced digital solutions is crucial for delivering care and better outcomes. By doing so, we can help to reshape and innovate across the entire eye care ecosystem. Through advancing technology across screening and treatment, fostering collaboration across sectors, and prioritizing vision-forward policies, we can safeguard the eye health of future generations.
We will continue our commitment to innovation that empowers children to lead fuller, more inclusive lives. Together, we can envision a world where children are free to see the world clearly and embrace every opportunity.
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References:
1 Tomiyama E. Myopia: An epidemic of global proportions. Optometry Times. March 2024. Available at: https://www.optometrytimes.com/view/myopia-an-epidemic-of-global-proportions. Accessed: February 2025.
2 Holden BA, et al. Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology. 2016;123:1036–42.
3 Zomorodi M, et al. The story behind soaring myopia among kids. NPR. October 2023. Available at: https://www.npr.org/2023/10/17/1200611635/the-story-behind-soaring-myopia-among-children. Accessed: February 2025.
4 World Economic Forum. Short-sightedness is on the rise – including among kids. Here’s what can be done. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/10/children-shortsightedness-myopia-screens-indoors/. Accessed: February 2025.
5 Higginbotham J. Into Focus: The World Health Organization’s outlook on myopia’s significance. Myopia Focus. August 2023. Available at: https://www.myopiafocus.org/post/into-focus-the-world-health-organization-s-outlook-on-myopia-s-significance-1. Accessed: February 2025.
6 Sun MT, et al. Glaucoma and Myopia: Diagnostic Challenges. Biomolecules. 2023;13:562.
7 Recko M. Childhood Myopia: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention. Mo Med. 2015;112:116–21.
8 World Health Organization. SPECS 2030. Available at: https://www.who.int/initiatives/specs-2030. Accessed: February 2025.
9 Lam CSY, et al., Long-term myopia control effect and safety in children wearing DIMS spectacle lenses for 6 years. Scientific Reports. 2023;13:5475.
10 Alvarez M, et al. Early Detection of Refractive Errors by Photorefraction at School Age. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(23):15880.
11Xiong S, et al. Time spent in outdoor activities in relation to myopia prevention and control: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Acta Ophthalmol. 2017;95(6):551–66.
12 Zong Z, et al. The association between screen time exposure and myopia in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis. 2024;24:1625.
13 Barraza-Bernal MJ, et al. Prediction of refractive error and its progression: a machine learning-based algorithm. Global Ophthalmology. 2023;8: e001298.
Griffith Altmann
Griffith Altmann is Chief Technology Officer at HOYA Vision Care.
