Hoya Vision Care announced that it had convened leading global experts, policymakers, industry leaders, and advocates to publish “Tackling the Myopia Crisis: Uniting Frontline Care, Policy, and Thoughtful Innovation”—a consensus statement that declares childhood myopia as a public health emergency and charts a unified path forward through coordinated global intervention.

The expert panel spanned the fields of epidemiology, policy, sustainability, clinical care, and patient advocacy. Together, they called for an immediate and pivotal shift from fragmented efforts to a coordinated global strategy and put forward four recommendations for government and health care systems to drive systemic change:

1. Mandate universal pediatric vision screening for patients of preschool age and older;

2. Prioritize myopia management intervention upskilling in continuous professional educational programs for eye care professionals;

3. Integrate healthy visual habits, including mandated time outdoors, myopia awareness initiatives, and myopia-focused educational activities within school curricula and community hubs; and

4. Recognize that these measures should be implemented alongside wider policies to address childhood health inequalities, digital well-being, and universal health coverage to ensure that no child’s future is limited by preventable vision impairment.

Chief Sustainability Officer Marius de Beer said, “At Hoya Vision Care, 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. Not only do we feel this as part of our purpose, but we are inspired to help resolve this crisis through transformative partnerships across health care, policy, and education.”