In a groundbreaking public health initiative, the French Government has become the first country in the European Union to offer reimbursement for HOYA Vision Care’s MiyoSmart myopia control spectacle lenses.
HOYA Vision Care has described it as a “decisive” step to address the growing challenge of myopia among children, saying it will significantly expand access for children affected by severe and progressive myopia.
The decision reflects the power of collective advocacy across ophthalmologists, opticians, health professionals, health insurances, and government stakeholders, positioning France as a leader in championing children’s eye health across Europe, HOYA Vision Care said.
From 1 July, children in France aged five to 16 with high (-6.00D) and/or rapidly progressive (-0.50D/year) myopia will be eligible to reimbursement for MiyoSmart myopia control spectacle lenses, through inclusion in the List of Products and Services (LPP) code. This public coverage will be further supported by complementary health insurance, where applicable.
MiyoSmart is a clinically proven solution for myopia management.1-4
With more than 500,000 children in France set to be eligible to receive MiyoSmart spectacle lenses, this milestone is a hugely significant step forward for myopia management
Significant Step
Jean-Michel Lambert, General Manager of HOYA Vision Care France, said: “With more than 500,000 children in France set to be eligible to receive MiyoSmart spectacle lenses, this milestone is a hugely significant step forward for myopia management,” said Jean-Michel Lambert, General Manager of HOYA Vision Care France.
Head of Ophthalmology Department at University Hospital Necker-Enfants malades and Paris University in Paris described the reimbursement of MiyoSmart in France as “a significant step forward in our fight against childhood myopia”.
In France, approximately 510,000 children aged 6–15 experience severe myopia defined as having (≤ -6.00D), or annual progression of ≥ 0.50D.5 By 2050, an estimated five billion people could be affected by myopia globally, and annual myopia progression rate is most rapid under 12 years of age.6
The urgency of prioritising refractive error has been spotlighted by the World Health Organization’s Specs2030 initiative, which aims to tackle distance vision impairment through strengthening advocacy, awareness, and vision care services.7
References
- Lam CSY, Tang WC, To CH, et al. Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) spectacle lenses slow myopia progression: a 2-year randomized clinical trial. Br J Ophthalmology. 2020 Mar;104(3):363-368. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2018-313739.
- Lam CS, Tang WC, To CH, et al. Myopia control effect of defocus incorporated multiple segments (DIMS) spectacle lens in Chinese children: results of a 3-year follow-up study. Br J Ophthalmol. 2022 Aug;106(8):1110-1114. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-317664.
- Lam CSY, Tang WC, To CH, et al. Long-term myopia control effect and safety in children wearing DIMS spectacle lenses for 6 years. Sci Rep. 2023 Apr 4;13(1):5475. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-32700-7.
- Leung TW, et al. Comparison of myopia progression in individuals wearing Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) spectacle lenses for eight years versus shorter durations. Poster number A0113. Presented 6 May, ARVO 2025
- Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) Public Report. French Health Authority; 2022 Mar.
- Tricard D, Marillet S, Leveziel N, et al. Progression of myopia in children and teenagers: a nationwide longitudinal study. Br J Ophthalmol. 2022;106(8):1104-9. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-318256.
- World Health Organization. SPECS 2030: Vision and mission. Available at: who.int/initiatives/specs-2030 [accessed April 2025].
