Welcome to another bumper mivision special issue on myopia!
I’m delighted to return as guest editor for this year’s deep dive into where our field stands in 2026.
This issue opens with a challenge to the language we use every day. Optometrist John Nguyen makes the case for reclassifying myopia as the chronic, progressive disease it is.
My feature article takes stock of the shifting definition of combination care – no longer just atropine plus optics, but an expanding matrix of atropine concentrations, optical treatments, and light therapies working together, and what this means for tailoring treatment to the individual child.
On the technology front, Dr Paul Gifford unpacks the optical mechanisms behind modern myopia control lenses, while HOYA Vision Care’s Ulli Hentschel explains how a refined understanding of peripheral retinal signalling shaped MiyoSmart iQ. Dr Sanil Joseph, with clinical perspectives from Vivien Ta, Griffin Ngo, and Philip Cheng, reviews the expanding evidence for red-light therapy.
Light features again from two angles: Associate Professor Ranjay Chakraborty on how the spectral composition of daytime light may influence eye growth, and Dee Makadia on the too often overlooked evening hours, arguing screens and disrupted sleep deserve a place in our management conversations.
Associate Professor Holly Chinnery and Professor Laura Downie ask whether the immune system has a hidden hand in axial elongation, and Dr Loren Rose tackles when and how to safely stop treatment to avoid rebound – loss of treatment effect.
Dr Margaret Lam distils the latest IMI paper on Interventions into a practical guide to choosing the right intervention, and Associate Professor Abhishek Sharma turns to the ageing myopic eye, unpacking retinal risks in adults who grew up in the high-myopia generation of the 1980s and 90s. Finally, Melanie Kell talks to four Specsavers optometrists for practical gems on winning over anxious young patients, from mirroring a child’s energy to well-timed sticker bribery.
Settle in for this year’s voyage through the evolving world of myopia management.
