TOKYO—Hoya Vision Care, an ophthalmic lens technology company, announced that it has joined industry leaders at the Global Health Summit 2024 to call for urgent action to improve early detection and reduce the burden of myopia in children. The company said it has called on governments and public health bodies to act collectively to ensure early detection, increase education and awareness of myopia. The urgency to prioritize myopia stems from the multi-faceted impact on patients, communities and health care systems, the company said.

As the prevalence of myopia is increasing, it is also imperative for governments and public health bodies to prioritize its treatment as a public health concern to improve the quality of life for children living with this condition, and to provide education on preventive solutions, according to the company.

Treating myopia in children early helps not only correct their vision but also provides myopia management solutions earlier to slow down the myopia progression and preserve their vision and eye health for the future, the company said. Hoya Vision Care’s MiYOSMART is a spectacle lens that, according to the company, slowed myopia progression on average by 60 percent in a clinical study, compared to wearing standard single vision spectacle lenses. 

“Now is the time for our health care ecosystems to work together and act collectively upon awareness and education," said Alexandre Montague, CEO of Hoya Vision Care. "Our children deserve better—the impact of myopia on our children’s lives should not be overlooked with it affecting their education and quality of life. The success of MiYOSMART is only the first step. We’re calling for increased efforts to raise awareness, educate eyecare professionals, and educate parents through ECPs about the condition and the importance of diagnosing, monitoring and seeking timely treatment for their children,” Montague said.