Support Myopia Awareness Week: 19–25 May

Organised by Brien Holden Vision Institute (BHVI) and Review of Myopia Management, this year’s theme is ‘Screens Down, Eyes Up’, highlighting the lifestyle changes necessary to keep healthy sight.

And the organisers are calling for individuals, families, and healthcare professionals to take action.

“Myopia Awareness Week is a clear reminder that when we unite as an eye care sector, our collective impact can be far greater,” said Yvette Waddell, CEO, BHVI.

“Through continued collaboration, we are better positioned to address this escalating public health challenge. We need to spread the message that children who don’t spend enough time outdoors are at greater risk of developing myopia, which can progress to irreversible vision loss. While we don’t yet know everything about myopia, we know far too much to remain passive.”

Myopia, is an increasingly common ocular disorder and the leading cause of visual impairment in children.¹ Studies have predicted that the global prevalence of myopia will rise from 28% of the world’s population, or two billion people in 2010, to 50% of the world’s population, or five billion people in 2050.² Uncorrected myopia is a leading cause of blindness worldwide.³

To coincide with Myopia Awareness Week, BHVI is releasing its new and improved Myopia Calculator

Four Essential Habits

During Myopia Awareness Week 2025, the community is being urged to adopt four essential habits for myopia prevention and management:

1. Myopia, Let’s Talk About It: Encouraging open conversations about myopia risks, prevention strategies, and treatment advancements, with colleagues, parents, children and (especially) eye care practitioners.
2. Make Myopia Matter: Take the pledge to make myopia management a part of your daily routine and keep up to date with the latest treatments and management techniques.
3. Screen Smart, Vision Strong: Promoting healthy screen and near-work habits, having daily outdoor time and employing screen time reduction tools on smart phones and electronic devices.
4. Check In for Clear Vision: Reinforcing the importance of regular eye exams for early detection and effective management of myopia.

Kristen Dalli, Executive Editor at Review of Myopia Management, has urged eye care professionals to support the campaign.

“Bringing together the global eye care industry is incredibly important in tackling this worldwide healthcare epidemic,” she said. “We implore all to get involved, spread the word about myopia, and start making healthier vision choices before it’s too late.

“The changes we make today mean we can prevent the onset or slow the progression of myopia and see longer tomorrow.”

Resources Available

A free social media toolkit – including posters, graphics, educational materials, and interactive challenges – is available to help spread awareness.

Supporters who join the movement will be acknowledged across BHVI’s campaign platforms. To sign up and receive the Myopia Awareness Week Toolkit, visit bhvi.org/maw25.

Updated Myopia Calculator Released

To coincide with Myopia Awareness Week, BHVI is releasing its new and improved Myopia Calculator, the most used myopia diagnostic tool to demonstrate the effects of a combination of treatments and therapies on slowing the progression of myopia.

References

1. Mehta N, Wen A. Myopia: A global epidemic. Retina Today. September 2019. Available at: retinatoday.com/articles/2019-sept/myopia-a-global-epidemic [accessed May 2025].
2.  Holden BA, Fricke TR, Resnikoff S, et al. Global prevalence of myopia and high myopia and temporal trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology. 2016 May;123(5):1036-42. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2016.01.006.
3.  Flaxman SR, Bourne RRA, Taylor HR, et al. Vision Loss Expert Group of the Global Burden of Disease Study. Global causes of blindness and distance vision impairment 1990-2020: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2017 Dec;5(12):e1221-e1234. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(17)30393-5.