"We have made significant progress in the prevention and control of myopia. Through scientific research and clinical practice, we have mastered a series of effective methods for prevention and control, including outdoor activities, optical correction, and medication." On April 11th, at the "Control Myopia, Forge the Future" Eye Health Conference hosted by the China Association of Medical Education, Academician Fan Xianqun, Vice President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, stated that myopia in China is becoming more prevalent, younger, and more severe, with childhood being the "golden period" for myopia management.
According to data from the National Health Commission in March of this year, the overall myopia rate among children and adolescents in China was 51.9% in 2022, indicating a serious problem with myopia among this demographic.
It is understood that engaging in outdoor activities for more than 2 hours per day, using low-concentration atropine eye drops, and orthokeratology lenses (also known as OK lenses) are referred to as the "three-step approach" in myopia prevention and control. Among them, low-concentration atropine eye drops have garnered special attention from parents due to their convenience and minimal side effects.
It is worth mentioning that not long ago, the National Medical Products Administration approved the market application of 0.01% atropine sulfate eye drops developed by Shenyang Xingqi Eye Medicine for the purpose of slowing the progression of myopia in children aged 6 to 12 with spherical refractive errors from -1.00D to -4.00D (astigmatism ≤1.50D, anisometropia ≤1.50D).
Qu Jia (Provided by the Organizer)
"Before the approval, 0.01% atropine sulfate eye drops underwent rigorous Phase III clinical trials in China. Following thorough clinical data support, the National Medical Products Administration Drug Evaluation Center (CDE) approved the drug after strict scrutiny," said Qu Jia, Director of the Ophthalmology Hospital Group and the National Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Wenzhou Medical University. The multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 0.01% atropine sulfate eye drops was meticulously designed and based on 5-year clinical trial data from the ATOM2 trial at the National Eye Center in Singapore. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial was conducted in 8 centers nationwide, involving a total of 406 myopic children aged 6-12 with refractive errors ranging from -100 to -400 degrees, astigmatism not exceeding 150 degrees, and anisometropia not exceeding 150 degrees in both eyes. Participants underwent 1 year of medication and 0.5 years of follow-up observation after cessation.
The research results show that 0.01% atropine sulfate eye drops can effectively delay the progression of myopia in Chinese children, and the earlier myopic children use 0.01% atropine sulfate eye drops, the more benefit they gain.
At the meeting, Ni Hailong, Director of the Optometry Department at the Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, also introduced the public welfare project for the prevention and control of myopia in Chinese children and adolescents, known as the "Follow the Light Plan." He pointed out that the "Follow the Light Plan" aims to convey correct knowledge of myopia prevention and control to parents and children through a series of popular science activities, cultivate proper eye health management habits, improve the effectiveness of myopia prevention and control, and disseminate popular science knowledge of eye health, benefiting more patients and families.
Ni Hailong stated, "In the future, we will continue to enhance the effectiveness and interest of myopia prevention and control popular science, enrich popular science content and dissemination forms, including continuing to conduct live broadcasts on myopia prevention and control; organizing charity clinics nationwide in an orderly manner, to encourage more eye care professionals with willingness and enthusiasm to join the ranks of myopia prevention and control popular science."
