SAN RAMN, Calif.—One in four children in the U.S. is myopic, but according to The Harris Poll survey results released yesterday by CooperVision, only 33 percent of parents know what that term means, or how it can affect their children’s future eyesight. This corroborates the finding that 97 percent of ECPs agree parents should know more about the ways they can help protect children’s vision. The survey was conducted among U.S. eyecare professionals (ECPs), including optometrists and ophthalmologists, and more than 1,000 U.S. parents with children between 8-15 years old regarding their knowledge of myopia.

According to the research, two-thirds of eyecare professionals (66 percent) have seen an increase in the prevalence of pediatric myopia in their practice over the last 5 to10 years. This aligns with data from the American Optometric Association (AOA) showing myopia has become increasingly prevalent in recent years in the U.S., with an increase of 25 percent in the past 40 years. 

Around one quarter of parents (26 percent) have a nearsighted child, and about three quarters of those children were diagnosed between the ages of 3 and 12. But even though this condition is increasing, and the severity is getting worse, there are many misunderstandings surrounding myopia, what it is and why it is important for children to have their eyesight checked regularly by an ECP.