The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates has adopted a resolution recognizing myopia as a significant and increasing public health concern and supporting broader education, childhood screening, and insurance coverage for evidence-based myopia control.
Resolution 411, “Addressing the Myopia Epidemic, Public Education, and Insurance Coverage for Evidence-Based Myopia Control,” was included among the measures recommended for adoption in the final report of Reference Committee D from the AMA’s 2026 Annual Meeting.
Public Health and Education
The language positions myopia management education and early identification as central elements of the proposed public health response.
Under the adopted resolution, the AMA recognizes that “myopia is a significant and increasing public health concern warranting public health outreach, improved screening in children, and prevention efforts.”
The policy also directs the AMA to advocate for educational initiatives aimed at patients, caregivers, educators, and policymakers. Those efforts would focus on the risks associated with progressive myopia and the availability of evidence-based interventions demonstrated to slow its progression.
Disease Classification and Coverage
Resolution 411 also supports efforts to formally classify myopia as a disease, including by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The resolution links that classification to ensuring that “patients can receive appropriate treatment and insurance coverage for the treatment of this medical condition.” This includes evidence-based treatments shown to slow myopia progression in pediatric and adolescent patients.
Increasing Myopia Rates
Reference Committee D reported unanimously supportive testimony for the resolution. Delegations and sections emphasized the urgency of the proposed policy, citing increasing myopia rates worldwide and the potentially severe consequences of untreated myopia.
One in five preschoolers and one in four school-age children need vision correction, according to the American Optometric Association, with numbers expected to continue to grow alongside increased screen-based learning. Nearly half of North America’s population is projected to be myopic by 2030, with onset typically occurring in early elementary years.