Standardizing Myopia Terminology in Clinical Practice

Paper title: Myopia Correction, Myopia Control and Myopia Management: Definitions and Recommended Usage

Authors: Flitcroft I (1), Bullimore M (2), Gifford K (3), Jonas J (4), Jones D (5), Jones L (5), Kang P (6), Resnikoff S (6), Walline J (7), Wildsoet C (8)

1. Centre for Eye Research Ireland, Sustainability and Health Research Hub, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
2. College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States
3. School of Optometry and Vision Science, Centre for Vision and Eye Research, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
4. Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Institut Français de Myopie, Paris, France
5. School of Optometry & Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
6. School of Optometry and Vision Science, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
7. College of Optometry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
8. School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States

Date: Published online June 2, 2025

Reference: Flitcroft I, Bullimore MA, Gifford KL, Jonas JB, Jones D, Jones LW, Kang P, Resnikoff S, Walline J, Wildsoet CF; International Myopia Institute (IMI). Myopia Correction, Myopia Control and Myopia Management: Definitions and Recommended Usage. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2025 Jun 2;66(6):41.

[Link to open access paper]

As global interest in myopia increases, more eye care professionals are incorporating myopia care into their clinical practice, although experience with communicating these concepts to families may vary. Although terminology such as “myopia correction,” “myopia control,” and “myopia management” is well established in research and regulation, the distinctions between these terms can be unclear in everyday clinical communication. This International Myopia Institute (IMI) position paper forms part of the IMI 2025 Digest. It offers clear definitions for “myopia correction,” “myopia control,” and “myopia management,” supporting consistent usage across clinical care, patient conversations, product labelling, and regulatory guidance.

The key points were as follows:

• Myopia correction refers solely to the optical correction of distance vision, without intent to influence progression or axial elongation.
• Myopia control refers to evidence-based interventions that aim to slow refractive progression and axial elongation, forming one component of broader management.
• Myopia management is the most comprehensive term, encompassing correction, control, lifestyle advice, risk assessment, monitoring, and long-term care.
• Regulatory usage of these terms varies by region, and product claims should reflect appropriate evidence and approval status.
• In clinical communication, “myopia management” is preferred over “myopia control” to reflect the comprehensive nature of myopia clinical care , and to avoid overpromising or confusion about arresting progression.

For clinicians involved in myopia care, using terminology with clarity and consistency is essential to effective communication, both with families and across professional settings. This IMI guidance helps differentiate between three key terms. Myopia correction should be used when describing optical devices or interventions that solely restore distance visual acuity, such as single vision lenses. Myopia control refers specifically to treatments with clinical evidence for slowing refractive progression and axial elongation. In contrast, myopia management represents a broader, integrated approach that includes correction and control, alongside risk assessment, lifestyle guidance, and monitoring of long-term ocular health.

Clinicians should be aware that “myopia control” may carry unintended implications, such as the impression of halting progression entirely. When speaking with parents or patients, “myopia management” is the preferred term, as it more accurately reflects the proactive, ongoing nature of care and avoids overpromising outcomes. Informed content discussions in clinical records, and marketing terminology should align with both evidence and regulatory approval. By adopting this standardised language, practitioners and they eye care industry can help ensure patients and families have appropriate expectations, and that clinical recommendations are framed within a holistic, evidence-based model of care.

While this IMI position paper brings much-needed clarity to key terminology, the practical implementation of these definitions still faces challenges. The clinical landscape for myopia care is evolving, and not all practitioners, regulators, or industry stakeholders may interpret or apply terminology in the same way. For example, the paper highlights that in Europe, CE marking does not distinguish between spectacle lenses intended for myopia correction and those intended for myopia control. Even when products serve different clinical purposes, they may be categorised the same way in regulatory systems, contributing to confusion in product claims and clinical communication.

The paper raises the potential for miscommunication around the word “control”, which may imply that myopia progression has been halted or that treatment has been definitively successful. This could unintentionally raise expectations among families or practitioners, even though myopia progression is highly individual and no current treatment offers complete arrest. By contrast, “myopia management” acknowledges the multifaceted, ongoing nature of care that encompasses treatment efficacy, lifestyle counselling and long-term monitoring. Further work is needed to ensure these subtleties are clearly communicated in clinical and professional education settings, and better understood by practitioners, patients and parents. Continued professional education and consensus-building will help ensure that language reflects both the complexity of care and the need for realistic expectations.