MYOPIA
A Growing Epidemic
WHAT IS MYOPIA?
Myopia is a chronic, progressive disease characterized by excessive eye elongation, risk of associated sight-threatening complications, and a negative-powered refractive error.1-3
GROWING GLOBAL EPIDEMIC
- Reports of increased myopia prevalence in children first emerged in Asia in the 1980s4, 5
- The number of people with myopia has nearly doubled within the past 20 years in both eastern and western societies6.
- Prevalence among young adults is reported to be above 80% in many Asian regions,7 and 50% in the U.S. and parts of Europe.8, 9
- Children in the first wave of high myopia prevalence (those born after 1970) are now on the cusp of experiencing sight-threatening complications as adults.10, 11, 12
NO SAFE LEVEL OF MYOPIA
- The elongated eye is susceptible to pathological complications with significant risks to eye health and vision12, 14
- Any degree of myopia increases the risk of sight-threatening complications, with some complications leading to blindness in adulthood15, 16
- Each diopter increase in myopia results in 67% increased risk of myopic macular degeneration (MMD)17
Any degree of myopia increases the risk of sight-threatening complications.
CONTROLLING MYOPIA PROGRESSION image
