In the news release, All About Vision Survey Identifies Significant Gaps in Parents' Understanding of Childhood Myopia, issued 22-Oct-2026 by All About Vision over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that changes have been made. The complete, corrected release follows, with additional details at the end:
All About Vision Survey Identifies Significant Gaps in Parents' Understanding of Childhood Myopia
National survey reveals parents see the long-term risks of nearsightedness but not the everyday steps and treatments available to address it.
NEW YORK, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- All About Vision (AAV), one of the longest-running editorial vision and eye health platforms in the ophthalmic industry, recently released "The Myopia Awareness Gap," its first consumer research survey of 704 parents of children under 18, conducted by The Harris Poll. The data and insights make clear there's an awareness gap in what parents understand about myopia — and what they can actually do about it.
Myopia is commonly known as nearsightedness; it primarily appears in childhood, affecting a person's ability to see clearly at a distance. It's estimated that myopia will affect 5 billion people globally by 2050, about half the world's population. If the current trend holds, nearly 40% of the world's children could be impacted by myopia in that same year. That's why it's critical to know the signs and consult an eye doctor to learn early myopia control strategies.
Childhood myopia can have significant long-term implications, particularly when it reaches moderate to high levels. The risk of eye conditions later in life, including retinal detachment, cataracts and glaucoma, rises as nearsightedness becomes more severe. In some cases, these complications can lead to permanent vision loss.
While some parents recognize the long-term risks of myopia, they seem to lack an understanding on topics ranging from how much time children should spend outdoors to newer treatments like myopia control glasses and contact lenses.
The survey revealed several key areas where parents have misconceptions and notable awareness gaps:
- Almost half of parents, 48%, believe nothing can be done to reduce a child's risk of developing myopia. In fact, steps such as spending more time outdoors during childhood may help reduce the risk of developing myopia or delay its onset.
- Only 40% of parents say their children spend more than an hour outdoors daily. Doctors recommend at least two hours outside a day to help reduce or delay a child's risk of developing myopia.
- Almost half of parents (46%) believe it takes three or more hours of daily screen time before risk increases. Research has linked more daily screen time with higher odds of myopia, starting at about one hour a day and nearly doubling by four hours.
- Nearly half of parents (46%) don't realize that frequent headaches can be a symptom of uncorrected nearsightedness in a child. Headaches are an important sign that there might be an issue.
These misconceptions may have long-term implications for children's eye health. In fact, a majority of parents say their children aren't following recommended behaviors like holding screen devices at an appropriate distance (68%), or avoiding screens before bed (68%).
Less than half of parents, just over 2 in 5 (42%), have heard of specialty glasses for myopia control that can be used to manage the condition in children.
Myopia often becomes noticeable during the school years, when children may have trouble seeing the board or other faraway objects.
Speaking with All About Vision for the accompanying report, Sudha Nallasamy, MD, pediatric ophthalmologist and associate director of The Vision Center at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, said: "Difficulty seeing the board at school is probably going to be the first sign. At home, parents might notice that their child can't read street signs from as far away as they can."
Another common belief is that keeping kids out of eyeglasses longer will slow their nearsightedness. Evidence suggests the opposite is true. Marina Eisenberg, MD, a pediatric ophthalmologist at the Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, also spoke with All About Vision for the report. "Keeping them out of glasses longer when they're nearsighted is actually detrimental to their vision, and we think it can make the myopia progress faster," she said.
All About Vision encourages parents to talk with their child's eye doctor about family risk factors, screen habits and myopia management options. Parents can read more about the report and the most up-to-date options to control myopia in the full story at All About Vision.
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of All About Vision, supported by EssilorLuxottica, from June 25–29, 2026, among 704 parents of children under age 18. Results are accurate to within +/- 4.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Complete methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, is available upon request.
About All About Vision
All About Vision's mission is to provide a reliable global resource for eye health and vision science, serving consumers, caregivers and eye care professionals. Providing authoritative yet approachable content, the platform translates complex medical and scientific information into clear, actionable insights that help people better understand their vision and its connection to overall well-being. Supported by EssilorLuxottica and backed by rigorous editorial standards, All About Vision ensures its content is accurate, accessible and informed by the latest scientific research with guidance from a dedicated medical review team of licensed eye care professionals.
For more information, visit allaboutvision.com and subscribe at allaboutvision.com/subscribe.
Sources
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What is myopia? International Myopia Institute. Accessed October 2026.
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. March 2025.
Current and emerging strategies for myopia control: A narrative review of optical, pharmacological, behavioural, and adjunctive therapies. Eye. August 2025.
High myopia and its risks. Community Eye Health. May 2019.
Interventions to increase time spent outdoors for preventing incidence and progression of myopia in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. June 2024.
Is spending more time outdoors able to prevent and control myopia in children and adolescents? A meta-analysis. Ophthalmic Research. May 2024.
Myopia Consensus Statement 2025. World Society of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (WSPOS). May 2025.
Digital screen time and myopia: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. JAMA Network Open. February 2025.
Signs and symptoms of myopia. Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). Accessed October 2026.
Correction: The logo has been updated in the release.
SOURCE All About Vision
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