Myopia "a ticking time-bomb" warns documentary

Myopia is an epidemic, with levels predicted to affect five billion people by 2050, warns a documentary – half the world’s population.

Filmmaker Jane Weiner wants to raise awareness of the burden of one million new cases every week. Losing sight: inside the myopia epidemic urges politicians, doctors, parents and teachers to make sure every child has a sight test before starting school.

She travels across the Americas, Asia and Europe to uncover the burden of impaired vision. Pioneering research is interwoven with the stories of people coping with the long-term effects of childhood near-sight. Few realise the condition is a primary cause of sight-threatening diseases that can strike many years later.

The film offers hope, covering the latest developments and therapies. Watch a preview of the work in progress here. The early version is available to watch until 16 November, as well as expert panel discussions from across three continents: Asia-Pacific, the Americas and Europe. The finished film is expected by autumn 2023.

Lens slows down childhood myopia

A three-year study has shown SightGlass vision spectacles can reduce myopia progression in children. Research presented at the 2022 American Academy of Optometry Meeting in October found the lens reduced axial length and cycloplegic SER progression. The treatment was particularly successful among children aged six to seven years at the start of the research. Lenses incorporating SightGlass Vision Diffusion Optics Technology use thousands of micro-dots that softly scatter light to reduce contrast on the retina.