Global trends in myopia management attitudes and strategies in clinical practice – 2022 Update

Abstract

Purpose : This research aimed to determine current prescribing habits for myopia control by eye care practitioners around the world. Comparison with previous surveys conducted in 2015 and 2019 will identify any changing pattern in how children with myopia are managed in clinical practice.

Methods : A self-administrated, internet-based questionnaire was distributed in 13 languages, through professional bodies to eye care practitioners globally. The questions examined: awareness of increasing myopia prevalence, perceived efficacy and adoption of available strategies, and reasons for not adopting specific strategies.

Results : Of the 3,195 respondents, practitioners’ concern about the increasing frequency of paediatric myopia in their practices differed among continents (p<0.001), being significantly higher in Asia (9.0±1.5 out of 10) than in other continents (range 7.7 to 8.2, p≤0.001). Overall, combination therapy was perceived to be the most effective method of myopia control, followed by orthokeratology and pharmaceutical approaches. The least effective perceived methods were single- vision distance undercorrection, single- vision spectacles, single-vision contact lenses and bifocal spectacles. Practitioners rated their activity in myopia control between 6.6±2.9 in South America to 7.9±1.2/2.2 in Australasia and Asia. Single-vision spectacles are still the most prescribed option for young people with progressive myopia (32.2%), but this has decreased since 2019 and myopia control spectacles (15.2%), contact lenses (8.7%) and combination therapies (4.0%) are growing in popularity.

Conclusions : Myopia control is being practiced by more practitioners around the globe, but there are still significant differences between and within continents. Embracing myopia control was felt by practitioners to enhance customer loyalty, increase practice revenue and improve job satisfaction.

This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.