HOYA Vision Care has convened leading global experts, policymakers, industry leaders, and advocates to publish Tackling the Myopia Crisis: Uniting Frontline Care, Policy, and Thoughtful Innovation.
The company said the “landmark consensus statement”, published on 20 November 2025, World Children’s Day, “declares childhood myopia as a public health emergency and charts a unified path forward through coordinated global intervention”.
The expert panel, convened by HOYA Vision Care, represented a united front spanning the fields of epidemiology, policy, sustainability, clinical care, and patient advocacy.
HOYA said they called for an immediate and pivotal shift from fragmented efforts to a coordinated global strategy, and put forward four critical recommendations for government and healthcare systems to drive systemic change:
- Mandate universal paediatric vision screening for preschool age upwards.
- Prioritise myopia management intervention upskilling in continuous professional educational programs for eyecare professionals.
- Integrate healthy visual habits, including mandated time outdoors, myopia awareness initiatives and myopia-focused educational activities within school curricula and community hubs.
- Recognise that these measures should be implemented alongside wider policies to address childhood health inequalities, digital wellbeing, and universal health coverage, ensuring no child’s future is limited by preventable vision impairment.
Mr Marius de Beer, chief sustainability officer at HOYA Vision Care, said: “We’re proud to champion a movement focused on protecting children from the rapid and preventable progression of myopia.
“This growing challenge clearly calls for an innovative approach and long-term commitment to improve the next generation’s health, well-being and their journey through life.”
Childhood myopia is escalating at a rapid pace, emerging as an urgent public health challenge.
By 2050, it is estimated to affect 52% of the global population, double the 27% affected in 2010. Hundreds of millions of these are children who will face lasting medical, social, and economic consequences throughout their lives.
Professor Serge Resnikoff, chair of the International Myopia Institute, said: “Myopia cases are rapidly rising, and incremental progress is not enough.
“Today, on World Children’s Day, we are uniting to demonstrate the global collaboration that is essential to translate proven interventions into scalable policies that protect children’s sight and safeguard public health.”
Ms Jacqueline Grove, president of 20/20 Quest, National Vision’s Charitable Foundation, and CEO of The Coalition for Clear Vision said: “Access to care for all children must be non-negotiable in global myopia action.
“Every child, regardless of who or where they are, deserves access to the vision care that could change the trajectory of their entire life.”
