The new white papers have been authored by leading global experts in myopia, and cover key topics such as pathologic myopia, impact of myopia, risk factors for myopia, accommodation and binocular vision in myopia development and progression, and prevention of myopia and its progression.
As myopia research and interventions continue to advance, the new white papers will serve as an evidence-based guide to eye care practitioners globally on understanding the ‘who’, ‘when’ and ‘how’ of myopia management, along with the benefits and limitations of myopia management approaches.
Dr. Monica Jong, Executive Director of the IMI, said “The original IMI 2019 white papers helped change the way clinicians thought of myopia – as an ocular condition versus a purely refractive issue – the latest IMI 2021 white papers continue to build on the evidence-base for implementing myopia management. Practitioners, researchers, industry and peak health bodies will find the IMI 2021 white papers valuable. Collaboration between all eye care stakeholders is the key to advancing research, awareness and making clinical management affordable and accessible to all children with myopia.”
Olga Prenat, VP, Education and Professional Relations, Essilor International, said, “As a platinum sponsor of the IMI, we are proud to support its efforts to advance clinical knowledge and practice on myopia management. These evidence-based papers can positively impact how myopia is managed, helping us fulfil our goal of minimizing associated vision health risks in future generations. Together with IMI, we look forward to promoting widespread adoption of myopia management among eye care professionals, to ultimately ensure that it becomes the standard of care for all myopic children.”
In addition to bringing innovative advances in myopia management, Essilor has always been at the forefront in raising awareness on the importance of good vision, particularly in alerting governments, healthcare and eye care practitioners, and the wider public, on the risks associated with myopia. Essilor also remains fully committed to investing in research on vision, while educating and supporting eye care practitioners along with industry partners such as IMI. In line with its mission of improving lives by improving sight, Essilor will continue to strengthen awareness and education on myopia and available solutions to manage myopia, so that more and more children in the world can benefit from effective interventions to slow down myopia progression.
Essilor also pledged its support for the publication of International Myopia Institute’s landmark series of white papers in 2019 and is a co-author of one of the white papers titled, ‘Industry Guidelines and Ethical Considerations for Myopia Control’. Since then, Essilor has published several articles in partnership with IMI, to share expert insights on improving clinical myopia management and to offer a glimpse into IMI’s successful efforts and new developments.
The full length white papers covering the areas of definitions, experimental models, interventions, genetics, clinical management, clinical trials, and industry guidelines and ethical considerations, were originally published in a special issue of the high impact journal IOVS in February 2019. These papers continue to serve as an instrumental resource for eye care practitioners in myopia management.
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