AMA moves to classify myopia as a formal disease

The American Medical Association has passed a resolution supporting formal classification of myopia as a disease, including by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, according to a new announcement.¹ Adopted recently by the AMA, the resolution supports insurance coverage for appropriate myopia treatments in children and adolescents, per the announcement. It also calls for increased public health education and improved childhood vision screening.¹

This policy direction mirrors a global initiative the American Academy of Ophthalmology launched in 2021 with a white paper on delaying myopia onset and reducing progression in children. The white paper marked the first effort to coordinate a global health initiative around myopia, aiming to spread education and foster collaboration on treatment among ophthalmologists worldwide.^1,2

Myopia prevalence in the United States has nearly doubled over the past 50 years to roughly 41.6% of the population, per National Eye Institute figures cited in the announcement.¹ The World Health Organization projects half the global population will be myopic by 2050, with up to one-fifth of those individuals facing elevated blindness risk from complications of high myopia.¹

The American Academy of Ophthalmology paired its response with continued advocacy for H.R. 2527, the Early Detection of Vision Impairments for Children Act, intended to launch the first national children's vision program.¹ High myopia carries meaningfully elevated risk of retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataracts and myopic maculopathy, complications capable of causing permanent vision loss.¹ Awareness of progressing myopia as an urgent pediatric health issue remains limited among parents, teachers and policymakers, and many families who learn of new options still find insurers will not reimburse them.¹

Myopia control treatments and evidence supporting insurance coverage

Myopia control options named in the announcement include:¹

• Stellest eyeglasses (Essilor) — FDA-approved for children ages 6 to 12
• Multifocal soft contact lenses — FDA-approved, worn during the day and discarded nightly for children ages 8 to 12
• Orthokeratology — rigid lenses worn overnight starting at age 6, which temporarily reshape the cornea; the effect reverses once wear stops

Some permanent reduction in progression has still been reported with orthokeratology, and overnight lens wear of any kind carries a higher infection risk than daytime wear. Low-dose atropine drops, administered nightly for 2 to 3 years in patients ages 5 to 18, have firmer supporting evidence in East Asian pediatric populations. Efficacy data in Western populations remain less certain and warrant further study, per the announcement.¹

Spending at least two hours daily outdoors has also been shown to help slow myopia progression. Rupa Wong, MD, a pediatric ophthalmologist and spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, said in the announcement most parents are never told treatments for progressing myopia exist. She added kids' eye health is a public health issue, not a parenting one. The Academy has framed the resolution as a step toward turning a slow-moving epidemic into a national priority before another generation of children grows up with avoidable vision loss.¹

References
1. American Academy of Ophthalmology. American Medical Association backs formal classification of nearsightedness as a disease. Published September 2, 2026. Accessed September 11, 2026. https://www.aao.org/newsroom/news-releases/detail/ama-backs-formal-classification-nearsightedness
2. Modjtahedi BS. Reducing the global burden of myopia by delaying the onset of myopia and reducing myopic progression in children. Ophthalmology. 2021;128(6):816-826.