Optometry Australia endorses World Council of Optometry's myopia management standard of care resolution

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Optometry Australia (OA) has recently endorsed the World Council of Optometry (WCO) myopia management standard of care resolution.¹ In the organization’s position statement, OA affirmed the WCO resolution and “supports a significant shift in clinical practice form merely correcting vision to employing strategies that slow myopia progression,” according to a news release. The OA supports the need for eye care providers to focus on assessing myopia risk and offering preventative counseling in addition to regular comprehensive eye examinations.¹

In April 2021, WCO partnered with CooperVision to introduce its myopia management standard of care, defining evidence-based standard of care comprising of mitigation, measurement, and management.¹

“Right now, 1 in 3 children in the world are myopic, and that figure is expected to continue rising, so it’s more critical than ever that our global optometric community turn its focus toward this rapidly growing health concern,” said Sandra S. Block, OD, M ED, MPH, FAAO, Dipl AAO, FCOVD, FNAP, FARVO, WCO president, in the release. “We thank Optometry Australia for their commitment to addressing this epidemic and reinforcing the importance of identifying and treating myopia using the 3 pillars of evidence-based practice. We look forward to other country’s optometric associations also adopting this as a standard of care.”

For the mitigation pillar, the WCO advises optometrists to educate and counsel parents and children during early and regular eye exams on lifestyle, dietary, and other factors to prevent or delay the onset of myopia. For measurement, eye care providers should evaluate the status of a patient during regular comprehensive vision and eye health examinations, such as measuring refractive error and axial length whenever possible. Finally, optometrists can provide myopia management by correcting myopia and providing evidence-based interventions such as contact lenses, spectacles, pharmaceutical, and lifestyle changes.¹

OA is the latest optometric association to endorse the standard of care resolution, joining the Canadian Association of Optometrists in supporting the global initiative.¹

The resolution and standard of care pledge signup page can be found on WCO’s website.

Reference:

1. Optometry Australia endorses World Council of Optometry myopia management standard of care resolution. News release. World Council of Optometry. February 18, 2025. Accessed March 21, 2025. https://worldcouncilofoptometry.info/optometry-australia-endorses-world-council-of-optometry-myopia-management-standard-of-care-resolution/