Bid to halt global myopia growth

Australian and Chinese researchers have extended their joint studies into refractive error treatments in Asia.

Brien Holden Vision Institute, Australia, has agreed a memorandum of understanding with Zhongshan Ophthalmic Centre (ZOC) at Sun Yat-sen University, in Guangzhou, China.

The two organisations have now been collaborating on research for more than 10 years, primarily developing spectacle and contact lens designs to slow the progression of myopia in young children with a history of parental myopia.

They estimate that approximately 80 per cent of East Asian children aged 16-18 years currently have myopia.

Australian partners from the Brien Holden Vision Institute visited China last week to present ZOC an Excellence in Innovation Award from Australia's Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Association.