Optometrist stresses need for research at first meeting of Committee on Focus on Myopia
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Speaking on behalf of the American Academy of Optometry at the first meeting of the Committee on Focus on Myopia, Fuensanta A. Vera-Diaz, OD, PhD, FAAO, emphasized the importance of research in the treatment and prevention of myopia.
The meeting, held July 18 at the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) in Washington, was the first of five in an effort led by the NASEM Board on Behavioral, Cognitive and Sensory Sciences. The committee has been tasked with creating consensus on study findings, conclusions and recommendations for myopia and is co-chaired by Terri Young, MD, MBA, of the department of ophthalmology and visual sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Kevin Frick, PhD, of Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.
“We must close the gaps in our knowledge regarding the etiology of myopia and the mechanisms behind the currently available treatments for myopia if we want to improve treatments and prevent myopia altogether, which should be the goal,” Vera-Diaz, director of research and associate professor of optometry at the New England College of Optometry, said in a press release from the college.
In addition to explaining why myopia is more than a refractive error and discussing its impact on both spatial and temporal visual performance, Vera-Diaz reiterated concerns about the risks for blinding disease associated with myopia. She also highlighted the need for future research to better understand environmental influences, treatment for children, current trial results and measures for treatment success.
According to the release, the Committee on Focus on Myopia will draft a report that will be examined by up to 15 reviewers before endorsement by NASEM. Organizations sponsoring the study include AAO, National Eye Institute, American Optometric Association, Healthcare Alliance for Patient Safety, Johnson & Johnson, Meta Reality Labs, Research to Prevent Blindness and Warby Parker Impact Foundation.
“On behalf of the American Academy of Optometry, we thank Dr. Vera-Diaz for representing our organization and our patients,” AAO President Susan A. Cotter, OD, MS, FAAO, said in the release. “This is an exciting NASEM initiative designed to address the current mechanistic understanding of myopia pathogenesis, identify knowledge gaps and develop a research agenda to better understand the biological and environmental factors that cause myopia. We look forward to NASEM’s report.”
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