Myopia Epidemic

Myopia
Epidemic

Myopia Epidemic

A closer look at pediatric myopia

Myopia is a chronic, progressive disease growing in both prevalence and severity.1

Affects 50%

Myopia is expected to affect more than 50% of the world’s population by 20501

Life Quality

Myopia can interfere with children’s quality of life2,3

Ocular Problems

Myopia can lead to severe ocular health problems later in life4

The prevalence of myopia in North America has increased 50%, from 28% to 42% over the last two decades.1 Among Canadian school children aged 11-13, almost 30% have myopia.5 Two-thirds of Eye Care Practitioners (ECPs) say the presence of myopia among children in their practice has increased over the past 5-10 years, and 81% of ECPs agree that myopia is one of the biggest problems impacting children’s eyesight today.§

Standard of Care

The World Council of Optometry and Canadian Association of Optometrist have passed a resolution that declares support for myopia management as standard of care.6

World Council of Optometry Canadian Association of Optometrist

Evidence-based standard of care combines three main components:

Mitigation Icon

Mitigation

Optometrists educating and counselling parents and children, during early and regular eye examinations, on lifestyle/dietary/other factors to prevent/ delay onset of myopia

Measurement Icon

Measurement

Optometrists evaluating the status of a patient during regular comprehensive vision and eye health examinations

Management Icon

Management

Optometrists addressing patients’ needs of today by correcting myopia, while also providing evidence-based interventions that slow the progression of myopia, for improved quality of life and better eye health today and into the future

 
Myopia Needs You
There are so many age-appropriate kids to help:


 

81%
of children aged 8-12 years with or at risk of myopia have spherical refractive errors between +0.50D to -2.00D.7
123 Children
with myopia between the Ages 5 and 145,8 for every 1 Optometrist in Canada.9
Child with Contact Lens
 

What's causing the rising prevalence of myopia?

The upward incidence of myopia in today’s children can be attributed to different factors, and is occasionally the result of a combination of these factors:

Genetics

Family eyesight history plays a role in a child’s risk of myopia. The likelihood of children developing myopia is:

Icon 1

1 in 2
when both parents are myopic10

Icon 2

1 in 3
when one parent is myopic10

Icon 3

1 in 4
when neither parent is myopic10

Environment

Research shows that a child’s environment and habits may influence the development of myopia.

Insufficient Outdoors

Insufficient time spent outdoors.10,11

Digital Device Use

Prolonged time spent reading, playing, or working with digital devices, like smartphones or tablets10,12

Poor Lighting

Poor lighting levels10,11

In short, more parents with myopia means more children with myopia – and the more that children stay inside and utilize digital devices, the more likely we are to see new myopes.

 

Axial Length Estimator Tool

CooperVision’s Axial Length Estimator can be used to help eye care professionals better understand the significance of ocular axial lengths.

Launch Estimator

Axial Length Estimator Tool
 

An absence of urgency to address myopia can lead to future risks

Today, only 56% of ECPs agree that myopia, left untreated, increases the risk of irreversible vision loss. But myopic progression has been linked to more severe sight-threatening complications later in life, including13-16:

  • Retinal Detachment
  • Glaucoma
  • Myopic Maculopathy
  • Cataracts
Future Risks

CooperVision® is a world leader in myopia control* and management for age-appropriate children

1 day soft contact lenses

MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses

Learn more

Spectacle lenses

MiSight® Spectacle
Lenses

Learn more

Orthokeratology

Paragon CRT® Orthokeratology

Learn more

 
Sign up for updates