MYOPIA

Awareness

In 2019, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) created a Global Myopia Task Force partnering with the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American Academy of Optometry (also the AAO), and the American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP). The task force released a mission statement in late 2020 stating their goal is to reduce the global burden of Myopia by delaying the onset of Myopia and reducing myopic progression in children, with the hopes of preventing more severe consequences of higher levels of Myopia1

Prevalence

Myopia is a leading cause of avoidable vision loss, especially in children. Myopia is estimated to affect 52% (4949 million) of the world population, respectively in 2050 (see Fig 1)2. It estimates that pediatric Myopia in East Asians has the highest prevalence at 15 years of age (69%) compared with Africans (5.5%)3. During the last 3 decades, the prevalence of Myopia has increased by 8-fold in United States4 . The Figure 2 shows prevalence of childhood Myopia in selected countries5 . The fact that younger eyes experience more rapid progression of Myopia leading to greater levels of high Myopia than that being reported is a matter of concern3

References

  1. Modjtahedi BS, Et Al. American Academy Of Ophthalmology. 2021;128(6):816-826.
  2. The Impact Of Myopia And High Myopia. Available At: Https://Myopiainstitute.Org/Wp-Content/Uploads/2020/10/Myopia_report_020517.Pdf. Last Assessed On 11th August 2022.
  3. Rudnicka AR, Et Al. Br J Ophthalmol. 2016;100(7):882-890.
  4. Holden B, Et Al. Eye (Lond). 2014;28(2):142-6.
  5. Pan CW, Et Al. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2012;32(1):3-16.