The International Myopia Institute Report on the White Paper Findings was a featured session at the prestigious Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting held on the 29th April 2019 in Vancouver, moderated by Professor Serge Resnikoff and Professor Padmaja Sankaridurg.
It was well attended by over 350 scientists and clinical researchers who listened to the findings and learned how they translated into research, clinical trials and patient management, followed by an open discussion with the leaders of each of the following committees: Definitions and Classifications (Professor Ian Flitcroft); Experimental Models and Emmetropization (Professor David Troilo); Clinical Trials and Instrumentation (Dr Nicola Logan); and Genetics (Professor Caroline Klaver).
The idea and definition of “pre-myopia” – a new concept published in the papers – was also discussed at length during this session. Pre-myopia is a condition where a child may be emmetropic but displays all the risk factors of developing myopia. Future research efforts will need to be directed towards this are to identify these patients and evaluate whether treatments can be developed and directed to them.
This was the first session following the publication of the White Papers in the February Special Issue of IOVS and was an opportunity for members of the research community to further discuss the contents.
“The International Myopia Institute has been successful in bringing together all the experts in myopia in an open and collaborative forum to discuss and generate consensus by gathering the evidence across a massive area of research. The outcome has been standardization of definitions, making recommendations on conducting research, and patient management. This allows for the systematic management of patients, collection of public health data as well as allowing for easier comparison of research studies.
These White Papers will also form the basis of the forthcoming WHO Vision Report and future updates of the International Classification of Disease (ICD). We are now planning to disseminate the findings more widely and plan to tackle areas not covered initially.”
Dr Monica Jong, Executive Director of IMI
The International Myopia Institute (IMI) was founded by Professor Brien Holden following the WHO Meeting on Myopia held in Sydney in 2015. The IMI was formed to continue the efforts of advancing myopia research and advocacy of myopia and high myopia as public health issues. The IMI brings together a multidisciplinary group of experts to identify gaps in research and generate consensus across the diverse area of myopia to ultimately advance patient care.
The white papers were written and reviewed rigorously by over 85 experts with the complete process taking almost two years to complete.
Please access them here:
- https://www.myopiainstitute.org/images/white-papers/Editorial-%20IMI.pdf
- https://www.myopiainstitute.org/images/white-papers/IMI%20overview%20paper.pdf
For more information about the IMI please go to https://www.myopiainstitute.org
