A smiling girl with glasses wearing a red sweatshirt sitting at a desk in a classroom with another girl in the background, both engaged in schoolwork.

MYOPIA INTERVENTION

Myopia (short sightedness), in which distance vision is blurred, is becoming increasingly common, having risen in incidence from around 20% of the Australian population in 2000, to around 40% in recent years(1,2).

The typical onset of myopia is also shifting, with most affected children now experiencing the condition from 8 years, instead of previous trends around 11 years(3). 

At Onèj Optometry we offer a full range of myopia testing to ascertain whether your child has myopia or is at risk of the condition. Myopia intervention means that your child has a better chance of good vision and optimal eye health into the future. Book an appointment at Onèj to discuss how myopia intervention can benefit your child. 

  • Unfortunately, myopia rates worldwide are expected to reach 50% by 2050(4,5). Myopia is not only a vision problem- due to the progressive nature of the condition, it can have a dramatic effect on ocular health(6). Even at low levels of myopia, the risks of eye disease such as retinal degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts are increased(7-9). Due to groundbreaking research and innovative developments over the past decade, optometrists can now manage myopia in a way that slows or halts its progression, significantly improving future vision and eye health outcomes for shortsighted children(10-12).

     

    Advanced scans such as topography and biometry allow us to assess the axial length of the eye and corneal curvature, characteristics which allow for better prediction of outcomes and management of progression. Extensive experience in myopia management, together with a commitment to current evidence- based practice, mean that Onèj Optometry can offer a variety of solutions to slow the progression of your child’s myopia, such as specialised spectacle and contact lenses, prescribed eye drops, and consideration of critical environmental factors. The merits of each treatment option will be discussed with you, before deciding upon a management plan which best suits your child. 

References:

  1. S. Zhang, A. L. Webber, and S. Dai, Myopia Progression Management: Current Trends and Future Directions, Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology54, no. 2 (2026): 250–259. Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ceo.70024

  2. Rose, K., Smith, W., Morgan, I. and Mitchell, P. (2001), The increasing prevalence of myopia: implications for Australia. Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology, 29: 116-120. Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1442-9071.2001.00389.x

  3. Mitchell, R. (2025). Myopia – will Australia sink or swim in surging global wave? Insight. Link: https://www.insightnews.com.au/myopia-will-australia-sink-or-swim-in-surging-global-wave/

  4. Liang, J., Pu, Y., Chen, J., Liu, M., Ouyang, B., Jin, Z., ... & Chen, Y. (2025). Global prevalence, trend and projection of myopia in children and adolescents from 1990 to 2050: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 109(3), 362-371. Link: https://bjo.bmj.com/content/109/3/362.abstract

  5. Holden BA, Fricke TR, Wilson DA, Jong M, Naidoo KS, Sankaridurg P, Wong TY, Naduvilath TJ, Resnikoff S. Global prevalence of myopia and high myopia and temporal trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology. 2016;123(5):1036–1042. Link: https://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(16)00025-7/fulltext

  6. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Myopia: Causes, Prevention, and Treatment of an Increasingly Common Disease. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2024 Sep 17. 3. Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/books/NBK607610/

  7. Van Leeuwen R, Haarman AEG, van de Put MAJ, et al. Association of Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Incidence With Myopia Prevalence in the Netherlands. JAMA Ophthalmol 2021; 139: 85–92. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33237293/

  8. Ha A, Kim CY, Shim SR, et al. Degree of Myopia and Glaucoma Risk: A Dose-Response Meta-analysis. Am J Ophthalmol 2022; 236: 107–119. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34648776/

  9. Kanthan GL, Mitchell P, Rochtchina E, et al. Myopia and the long-term incidence of cataract and cataract surgery: the Blue Mountains Eye Study. Clin Experiment Ophthalmol 2014; 42: 347–353. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24024555/

  10. Optometry Australia. (2024). Position Statement on Myopia Management. Link: https://www.optometry.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Professional_support/Guidelines/Myopia-Position-Statement-2024-v3.pdf

  11. Optometry Australia (2026). Myopia Management. Link: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGIjPt2QMA/jQG66s_CLzOWNyrI3iQZMA/edit

  12. Brennan, Noel A. MScOptom, Ph.D.; Cheng, Xu M.D., Ph.D.; Jong, Monica BOptom, Ph.D.; Bullimore, Mark A. MCOptom, Ph.D. Commonly Held Beliefs About Myopia That Lack a Robust Evidence Base: 2025 Update. Eye & Contact Lens: Science & Clinical Practice 51(8):p 319-335, August 2025. Link: https://journals.lww.com/claojournal/fulltext/2025/08000/commonly_held_beliefs_about_myopia_that_lack_a.1.aspx