As at least 50 percent of Korean adults suffer from myopia, with prevalence exceeding 90 percent in some age groups, calls are growing for the government to treat nearsightedness not as a simple vision condition but as a public health issue requiring national-level intervention.
Experts warned that Korea’s intense academic culture and excessive near-work environment are accelerating childhood myopia and called for stronger regulations and policy support.
Korean children show rapid myopia progression despite treatment
Professor Shin Sun-young of the Department of Ophthalmology at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital speaks on the severity of pediatric myopia in Korea during a presentation titled “Pediatric Myopia as a Public Health Agenda.” (KBR photo)
Professor Shin Sun-young of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Catholic University of Korea Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital raised concerns over the severity of pediatric myopia in Korea during a media briefing hosted by CooperVision Korea on Tuesday under the theme “Pediatric Myopia as a Public Health Agenda.”
According to data presented by Shin, Korean children using atropine -- a medication designed to slow myopia progression -- still experience vision deterioration equivalent to approximately 0.35 to 0.4 diopters per year. This remains steeper than overseas cases, where myopia progression is typically limited to around 0.5 to 1 diopter annually with treatment.
Shin attributed the trend to Korea’s lifestyle environment.
“Korean children are exposed to smartphones from a very young age and face extremely heavy academic workloads,” Shin said. “With many dual-income households, it has become routine for children to spend long hours doing near-work at private academies even after school.”
Neighboring countries already operate national management systems
Shin introduced cases from neighboring countries including Singapore, Taiwan and China, where pediatric myopia is managed at the national level, arguing that Korea should move beyond relying solely on parental efforts and establish a healthcare-based management system.
According to Shin, Singapore conducts annual vision screenings and monitors children with poor eyesight through lifestyle interventions at the national level. Taiwan has encouraged students since 2010 to spend at least two hours outdoors daily, with education authorities overseeing compliance.
China has adopted even stricter measures, including banning homework for first- and second-grade elementary school students, limiting homework time for upper-grade students to one hour and restricting continuous near-work activities to less than 40 minutes. Some schools have also installed bars on desks to prevent children from reading too closely.
Shin stressed the need to introduce an “eye growth curve” system that tracks children’s eye development, similar to pediatric growth charts used to monitor height.
She also pointed to institutional loopholes in Korea’s current system. At present, myopia-control glasses using special lenses can be manufactured directly at optical shops without a prescription from an ophthalmologist.
“Many children end up wearing incorrect glasses without accurate prescriptions,” Shin said. “Like Japan, Korea should revise its system so that special glasses can only be prescribed following a detailed examination by an ophthalmologist.”
Shin added that the issue cannot be addressed by academic societies alone.
“Pediatric myopia is not a problem that medical societies can solve on their own,” she said. “The government, media and companies must work together to create a healthier future for children’s vision.”
Nearly all Korean teenagers could become nearsighted by 2050
Professor Kim Dae-hee of Konyang University’s Kim’s Eye Hospital speaks during a presentation titled “What Should We Consider When Choosing a Myopia Solution for Our Children?” (KBR photo)
Professor Kim Dae-hee of Konyang University’s Kim’s Eye Hospital, who delivered a presentation titled “What Should We Consider When Choosing a Myopia Solution for Our Children?” presented data showing that myopia prevalence among Korean adolescents has reached 96.5 percent.
Citing military conscription data for 19-year-old Korean men, Kim said, “Korea’s myopia prevalence is shocking even by global standards.”
He projected that by 2050, 90.9 percent of 19-year-olds in Korea will have myopia, while nearly one in three, or 31.3 percent, will develop high myopia.
Kim warned that myopia involves structural changes caused by abnormal elongation of the eyeball.
“When the eye becomes excessively elongated, the risks of severe eye diseases such as retinal detachment, glaucoma and cataracts increase dramatically,” Kim said. “This ultimately leads to enormous socioeconomic costs.”
Long-term treatment requires sustained parental involvement
In response to the growing burden, the Korean Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus established the “2026 Korean Myopia Treatment Guidelines.”
However, Kim stressed that maintaining treatment is just as important as initiating it. Myopia-control treatment typically begins between ages 4 and 5 and often continues for eight to 10 years until vision stabilizes around ages 13 to 15.
“Because children have difficulty maintaining treatment routines on their own, parental compliance in ensuring proper use and regular checkups is key to successful treatment,” Kim said.
He added that close consultation with ophthalmologists is essential to selecting and adjusting treatment methods based on each child’s lifestyle.
CooperVision highlights treatment support programs
Kim Hyun-joo, CEO of CooperVision Korea, also emphasized the importance of platforms that support long-term treatment adherence.
“Even though solutions to slow pediatric myopia progression already exist, many Korean parents still believe that simply getting the right glasses is enough,” Kim said, pointing to a lack of awareness.
She warned that parents who rely too heavily on internet information and arrive at clinics with preconceived conclusions may miss appropriate treatment opportunities for their children.
To address this gap, CooperVision operates its “MiSight 1 day” patient care program, designed to support communication between ophthalmologists and parents throughout the treatment process.
“We will continue supporting domestic pediatric myopia research and academic activities while expanding educational initiatives so parents can access accurate information,” Kim said. “CooperVision will remain committed to helping children and their guardians receive proper care from start to finish.”
You Ji-young
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