29 April 2021, Sydney, Australia – The International Myopia Institute (IMI) announced today that the much-anticipated 2021 edition of white papers and yearly digest have been released in a special issue of the peer-reviewed Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science (IOVS) journal.
Continuing the advancement of myopia diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and public awareness, the 2021 white papers follow the first series published in 2019 through IOVS. These landmark papers are always the subject of much excitement within the vision care industry.
“Myopia is estimated to affect half the world’s population by 2050. Vision impairment due to uncorrected myopia and myopia related complication is on the rise and expected to increase further,” says Professor Padmaja Sankaridurg, Chair of the IMI Impact of Myopia Taskforce and BHVI Myopia Program Leader. “BHVI and the IMI are deeply committed to disseminating the latest evidence-based myopia research for the benefit of all.”
“The original IMI 2019 whitepapers helped change the way clinicians thought of myopia – as an ocular condition versus a purely refractive issue – the latest IMI 2021 whitepapers continue to build on the evidence-base for implementing myopia management. Practitioners, researchers, industry and peak health bodies will find the IMI 2021 whitepapers valuable,” says Dr Monica Jong, Executive Director of the IMI. “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.”
The IMI 2021 white papers and yearly digest update listed below are authored by a large group of leading global experts in myopia, and present the latest research, recommendations and updates in the field.
- IMI 2021 Reports and Digest – Reflections on the Implications for Clinical Practice (Chair James Wolffsohn, Aston University)
- IMI Impact of myopia (Chair Padmaja Sankaridurg, BHVI)
- IMI environmental risk factors in myopia (Chair Ian Morgan, Australian National University)
- IMI accommodation and binocular vision in myopia development and progression (Chair Nicola Logan, Aston University)
- IMI Pathologic myopia (Chair Kyoko Ohno-Matsui, Tokyo Medical and Dental University)
- IMI Prevention of myopia and its progression (Chair Jost B. Jonas, Heidelberg University)
- IMI Yearly Digest 2021 (Chairs Monica Jong, University of Canberra, and Earl Smith, University of Houston)
“High myopia will affect 1 billion people by 2050,” added Professor Serge Resnikoff, Chair of the IMI. “These new white papers address the impact and treatments for pathologic myopia, providing a blueprint for the way forward in tackling the myopia epidemic.”
Click here to access the IMI 2019 white papers and clinical summaries.
Click here to access the IMI 2021 white papers.
The IMI 2021 clinical summaries will be available soon.
ENDS
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL MYOPIA INSTITUTE
The International Myopia Institute was formed following the WHO-BHVI meeting on myopia and high myopia in 2015, due to the need to address the increasing levels of myopia and high myopia worldwide that can lead to potentially sight threatening complications for an individual, and the massive global burden associated with lost productivity.
The IMI are a global group of experts who have come together to discuss, debate and make available the latest evidence-based recommendations in classifications, patient management, and research, in the form of the IMI white papers. The IMI white papers and clinical summaries are made freely available in many world languages so that the evidence can be disseminated to all corners of the world and to those that would benefit the most – practitioners, governments, policy makers, educators and the general public.
Our mission is to advance research, patient management and education in myopia to prevent future vision impairment and blindness associated with increasing myopia. We aim to do this by bringing together, but not limited to scientists, clinicians, policy makers, government and educators into the field of myopia to stimulate collaboration and sharing of knowledge.
Founded by Brien Holden Vision Institute (BHVI).
Supported by Zeiss, Essilor, CooperVision, and Alcon.
ABOUT BHVI
BHVI is an Australian not-for-profit organization with an international focus on vision research. Founded by the late Professor Brien Holden, its headquarters are located on the campus of its affiliate, the University of New South Wales (Kensington, Sydney, NSW). BHVI designs, translates and evaluates new technologies and enhances existing products. Its development portfolio includes vision correction designs that target myopia, presbyopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. BHVI also conducts research in dry eye and eye comfort. BHVI has a comprehensive intellectual property portfolio. It supports the ophthalmic sector with market development initiatives and myopia management education. For more information, visit www.bhvi.org.
For further information, please contact:
Dr. Monica Jong, BOptom, PhD
Executive Director, International Myopia Institute
m.jong@bhvi.org
+61 421 487 547
