[Partner Post] OD Perspective: The Changing Landscape of Myopia Management

Q. We often hear that myopia is on the rise. From your perspective, how serious is the issue today?

A. The trends show that myopia is increasing around the world2 and is associated with changes in lifestyle such as reduced time outdoors and a more indoor lifestyle that tends to be focused on tasks and activities at near.1 At the recent ARVO 2026 meeting in Denver, there were presentations reporting that we are on track for half of the world to have myopia by 2050.2 This will have consequences, given that every diopter increases the risk of ocular complications3 and that there will be more patients requiring comprehensive eye exams, low vision and surgical services to address it.2 It is clear that we must act now to detect myopia and other eye health issues.4 We should let our patients know that today they can do something proactively to manage myopia.5,6 There is no doubt that myopia is a serious issue – NASEM and the FDA have recognized it as a chronic progressive disease that should be managed.7,8

Q. What makes early intervention so critical?

A. The impact of intervention is the greatest as soon as a child develops myopia because the research shows that once a child develops myopia, it tends to progress and it’s at the younger ages where myopia will progress the fastest.1 So taking a wait and see approach for a child who develops myopia at age 6, by the time they come back at age 7, they will likely have progressed 1.00 D on average.9 Letting parents know that there are options available that can both correct and slow myopia in children that are simple to use, and are FDA authorized, may be the first step to onboard parents with myopia management.5,6 Parents are familiar with spectacles and accessibility is also very important when we consider it as a public health solution. We have to take small steps to make that giant leap when myopia management is a new concept for the general public. For hundreds of years we have corrected vision only. It’s so exciting that we can elevate the standard of care for our patients, providing better vision and supporting eye health for children with myopia in the USA today.5,6

Q. What should eye care professionals take away during Myopia Awareness Week?

A. Myopia Awareness Week is an opportunity for all eye care practitioners to unite and lead with one voice to make parents aware that myopia can be managed and that comprehensive eye exams for every child should be the basic human right. Good vision in the early years of life is critical for learning and development.4

Ryan Parker, OD, Senior Director, Professional Affairs, EssilorLuxottica North America

Q. Building on what Dr. Jong shared, what barriers do you see when it comes to myopia management and how can eye care professionals overcome them?

A. The biggest barriers I see are not clinical intent — they are confidence, workflow, and implementation.

One barrier is biometry and axial length measurement. Axial length is valuable, but it should not become a barrier to myopia management.10 A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis by Clark and Wong found that spherical equivalent refraction is generally the better primary metric for monitoring childhood myopia progression and estimating long-term disease risk, while axial length remains useful as a selective tool for identifying children with excessive axial elongation or very long eyes at higher retinal risk.10 In other words, axial length is “nice to have,” but it should not prevent an eye care provider from engaging in myopia management.10

Another barrier is understanding managed vision care coverage by plan. For some practices, the uncertainty around reimbursement, billing pathways, and patient out-of-pocket cost can slow adoption. The way to overcome this is to work directly with account executives and support teams who can provide step-by-step instructions for submitting myopia control solutions under the respective managed vision care plans. Practices do not need to figure this out alone. Once the billing process is understood and standardized, it becomes much easier to confidently discuss options with families.

The last major barrier is implementing a myopia management protocol. Many eye care professionals make this more complicated than it needs to be. The key is to simplify the message, define the patient journey, and engage the entire eye care team. Everyone in the practice — doctors, technicians, opticians, front desk, and billing teams — should understand why myopia management matters, which children are at risk, how to introduce the conversation, and what the next step should be.

The solution is not to wait until every process is perfect. The solution is to start with a clear, simple protocol, educate the team, and proactively engage families. Myopia management does not have to be overwhelming. It needs to become a consistent part of pediatric eye care.

1. Sankaridurg P. A less myopic future: what are the prospects? Clin Exp Optom. 2015;98(6):494-496. doi:10.1111/cxo.12358.
2. Holden BA, et al. Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology. 2016;123:1036–42.
3. Clark RA, Wong RK. Spherical equivalent refraction versus axial length for monitoring childhood myopia and estimating disease risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Ophthalmol. 2026;286:1-14. doi:10.1016/j.ajo.2026.03.007.
4. American Optometric Association. Comprehensive pediatric eye and vision examination [Internet]. St. Louis (MO): American Optometric Association; 2017 [cited 2026 May 19]. Available from: https://www.aoa.org/AOA/Documents/Practice%20Management/Clinical%20Guidelines/EBO%20Guidelines/
   Comprehensive%20Pediatric%20Eye%20and%20Vision%20Exam.pdf
5. Compared to single vision lenses. Results from a prospective, randomized, double masked, multicenter U.S. clinical trial in myopic children aged 6–12 years at initiation of treatment.  
6. Essilor International, data on file (2025)
7. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA authorizes marketing of first eyeglass lenses to slow progression of pediatric myopia [Internet]. Silver Spring (MD): U.S. Food and Drug Administration; 2025 Sep [cited 2026 May 20]. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-authorizes-marketing-first-eyeglass-lenses-slow-progression-pediatric-myopia
8. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Making eye health a population health imperative: vision for tomorrow. Washington (DC): The National
9. Hyman L, Gwiazda J, Hussein M, Norton TT, Wang Y, Marsh-Tootle W, et al. Relationship of age, sex, and ethnicity with myopia progression and treatment response in the Correction of Myopia Evaluation Trial. Arch Ophthalmol. 2005;123(7):977-987. doi:10.1001/archopht.123.7.977.
10. Clark RA, Wong RK. Spherical equivalent refraction versus axial length for monitoring childhood myopia and estimating disease risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Ophthalmol. 2026;286:1-14. doi:10.1016/j.ajo.2026.03.007.