Environmental and genetic factors drive global myopia epidemic, review finds
The global rise in myopia and pathologic myopia is emerging as a major public health concern, driven by environmental, genetic, and epigenetic factors that contribute to vision-threatening complications such as myopic maculopathy. A recent comprehensive review highlights how environmental influences interact with polygenic risks and epigenetic changes to shape disease progression, while advances in precision medicine and artificial intelligence are enhancing risk assessment and enabling more personalized treatment approaches.
Therapeutic strategies, including low-dose atropine, orthokeratology, and repeated low-level red-light therapy, show promise in slowing myopia progression, while gene-editing techniques remain experimental and are not expected to reach clinical use in the near term.
The review also emphasizes persistent disparities in resource availability and intervention implementation, advocating for scalable solutions such as mobile health tools and community-based preventive programs.
By integrating environmental prevention, genetic research, and AI-driven insights, the review underscores the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to reduce the global burden of myopia and its complications.
