Myopia Epidemiology and Management Techniques

Myopia has emerged as a major global public health concern, with prevalence rising sharply over recent decades, particularly in East Asia, Europe and North America. The condition is characterised by excessive axial elongation of the eye, leading to focus of images anterior to the retina and resulting in blurred distance vision. Both genetic predisposition and environmental factors such as prolonged near work and limited outdoor exposure contribute to its onset and progression. High myopia increases the risk of sight-threatening complications including myopic macular degeneration, retinal detachment and glaucoma. Traditional management strategies comprise corrective spectacles, soft contact lenses and orthokeratology, alongside pharmacological interventions such as low-dose atropine. Behavioural approaches, notably increased time outdoors, have demonstrated modest protective effects in school-aged children. Emerging techniques aim to detect early structural changes in scleral collagen and to modulate axial length through novel biomedical devices. Integration of risk-prediction algorithms and targeted therapies holds promise for personalised prevention and treatment pathways, addressing the growing clinical and economic burden of myopia worldwide.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Advanced imaging techniques have been deployed to identify early biomarkers of myopia progression. A triple-input polarisation-sensitive optical coherence tomography system has been developed to measure posterior scleral birefringence in vivo. Studies in animal models and adult volunteers reveal that increased birefringence correlates with refractive error and predicts axial elongation, offering a non-invasive indicator for monitoring disease trajectory. Another breakthrough involves a wireless, battery-free eye-modulation patch that combines piezoelectric transducers, an electrochemical micro-actuator and a drug-delivery microneedle array. In rabbit models, the device successfully shortens axial length and delivers riboflavin to the posterior sclera, with blue-light-induced collagen cross-linking enhancing scleral rigidity. This multifunctional patch exemplifies a minimally invasive approach to high-myopia correction and relapse prevention.

Myopia Epidemiology and Management Techniques publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in myopia epidemiology and management techniques across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Axial length: The distance from the anterior corneal surface to the retinal pigment epithelium; excessive elongation underlies myopic refractive error.

Spherical equivalent: A single value combining sphere and cylinder power that represents overall refractive error, used to categorise myopia severity.

Posterior scleral birefringence: Optical anisotropy in the back of the sclera measured by polarisation-sensitive imaging, indicative of collagen arrangement and biomechanical changes.

Optical coherence tomography: A non-invasive imaging method producing cross-sectional views of ocular tissues using low-coherence interferometry.

Orthokeratology: The use of specially designed rigid contact lenses worn overnight to temporarily reshape the corneal surface and reduce daytime myopic refractive error.

References

1. Posterior scleral birefringence measured by triple-input polarization-sensitive imaging as a biomarker of myopia progression. Nature Biomedical Engineering (2023).
2. Deep learning system to predict the 5-year risk of high myopia using fundus imaging in children. npj Digital Medicine (2023).
3. A wireless battery-free eye modulation patch for high myopia therapy. Nature Communications (2024).
4. Genome‐Wide Association Analysis Identifies LILRB2 Gene for Pathological Myopia. Advanced Science (2024).
5. The Complications of Myopia: A Review and Meta-Analysis. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (2020).
6. The Association between Near Work Activities and Myopia in Children—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PLOS ONE (2015).