Myopia control in the real world: treatments, target, timing, and terminus

Projektinformationen

CONTROL-MYOPIA

ID Finanzhilfevereinbarung: 101098324

DOI

10.3030/101098324

EK-Unterschriftsdatum 20 September 2023

Startdatum 1 Oktober 2023

Enddatum 30 September 2028

Finanziert unter

• European Research Council (ERC)

Gesamtkosten

€ 2 500 000,00

EU-Beitrag

€ 2 500 000,00

Koordiniert durch

ERASMUS UNIVERSITAIR MEDISCH CENTRUM ROTTERDAM
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CONTROL-MYOPIA (Myopia control in the real world: treatments, target, timing, and terminus)

Berichtszeitraum: 2023-10-01 bis 2026-03-31

Zusammenfassung vom Kontext und den Gesamtzielen des Projekts

Myopia is rising rapidly worldwide, driven by changing lifestyles, intensive education, and reduced outdoor exposure among children. By 2050, half of the global population is expected to be myopic, leading to a substantial increase in vision-threatening complications such as retinal detachment and myopic maculopathy. Although several preventive and therapeutic options are emerging, their effectiveness varies, long-term evidence is limited, and many eye-care professionals lack the tools needed to select the most appropriate intervention for each patient. This gap hinders timely and effective myopia management during the critical years of ocular development.

CONTROL-MYOPIA aims to transform patient care by developing an agile, AI-based clinical decision support system built on a strong scientific foundation of multidisciplinary data. The project will create population-based reference centiles for eye growth and myopia progression in Europe; collect high-quality, long-term real-world data on treatment timing, effectiveness, side effects, and acceptability; and identify patient characteristics associated with poor response or adherence. Advanced machine-learning techniques will be used to predict long-term myopia outcomes from a broad set of potential predictors. These components will be integrated into a user-centred, interactive platform that provides accurate prognoses and recommends the right preventive or therapeutic strategy for each child at the right time.

Arbeit, die ab Beginn des Projekts bis zum Ende des durch den Bericht erfassten Berichtszeitraums geleistet wurde, und die wichtigsten bis dahin erzielten Ergebnisse

CONTROL MYOPIA has developed region-specific reference centile charts for eye growth. Using advanced modelling aligned with World Health Organization growth chart methodology, we generated robust age- and sex-specific axial length centile charts for populations in Asia, Australia, and Europe, thereby providing a harmonised benchmark for interpreting axial length measurements across diverse populations. These growth curves are expected to be adopted for clinical use in myopia management. In addition, our publication by Kneepkens et al. in BMJ Public Health, “Trends in myopia prevalence and projected visual impairment in Western Europe: a pooled analysis of Dutch population-based cohorts (1900–2000)”, describes historical trends in myopia prevalence over the past century and projects future prevalence up to 2075, underscoring its relevance for policymakers and healthcare planning. In addition, we have taken the first steps toward predictive modelling by estimating adult axial length and final refractive error outcomes based on a comprehensive set of myopia predictors, including axial length, the axial length–to–corneal radius ratio (AL/CR), choroidal thickness (ChT), and lifestyle components.

Fortschritte, die über den aktuellen Stand der Technik hinausgehen und voraussichtliche potenzielle Auswirkungen (einschließlich der bis dato erzielten sozioökonomischen Auswirkungen und weiter gefassten gesellschaftlichen Auswirkungen des Projekts)

Our findings on myopia prevalence, progression, and risk profiles also formed the basis for the development of a national guideline on childhood myopia, currently being revised by the Dutch Ophthalmology Society and expected to be published later this year; once implemented, it will directly inform clinical decision-making and standardise evidence-based lifestyle advice for children in routine care. In addition, as board members of Zicht op Buiten, my team and I organised and participated in numerous public outreach events to raise awareness of the protective effects of outdoor exposure and reduced tablet use on myopia, including the development of an instructional video accessible to children, parents, and schools nationwide. Finally, my team developed an evidence-based teaching curriculum derived from our scientific findings and delivered it across multiple clinical settings and industry contexts to update eye care professionals and the pharmaceutical industry on contemporary myopia management.