Two new white papers from the International Myopia Institute (IMI) have been published, providing the global eye care community with the latest evidence-based insights to guide myopia prevention and management.

The ‘IMI 2025 Digest’1 and ‘IMI – Interventions for controlling myopia onset and progression 2025’2 have been published in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science.

THE 2025 DIGEST

IMI said its biennial Digest provides targeted updates to earlier white papers, equipping clinicians with practical, evidence-based guidance. The 2025 Digest presents focussed updates in six key areas:

• Definitions and classification of myopia,

• Clinical management guidelines,

• Risk factors,

• Accommodation and binocular vision,

• Experimental models, and

• Onset and progression in young adults.

“The IMI Digest is about turning evidence into action,” said IMI Executive Director Dr Nina Tahhan.

“By bringing together the latest research in a clear, accessible way, we aim to support clinicians worldwide in delivering proactive, lifelong myopia care. The new interventions review complements this by showing that we already have effective tools, while also pointing to where more research is needed,” she said.

The 2025 Digest emphasises earlier identification and prevention of myopia, particularly through assessing hyperopic reserve and encouraging outdoor time.

Evidence supports proactive, individualised myopia management using safe and effective optical interventions. New findings confirm that accommodative and binocular vision effects are minimal with myopia control, highlight emerging light-mediated and molecular mechanisms, and show that some young adults, especially high myopes, continue to progress. Collectively, the Digest reinforces the importance of a lifelong approach to myopia care.

INTERVENTIONS FOR CONTROLLING MYOPIA ONSET AND PROGRESSION

This companion white paper updates the landmark 2019 IMI interventions review, reflecting a rapidly expanding evidence base. It evaluates interventions under five categories: optical, pharmacological, environmental/ behavioural, coloured light, and surgical.

“Since the 2019 IMI review, the evidence base has grown considerably, with randomised controlled trials confirming the efficacy of multiple approaches to slowing myopia progression,” white paper Chair Professor Mark Bullimore said.

“This updated interventions paper reflects that progress while also identifying the gaps where new science is urgently needed,” he added.

IMI said only randomised controlled trials were considered for mature technologies, while emerging approaches are reviewed with caution due to limited data.

The two publications are available to view and download at: myopiainstitute.org/imi-white-papers-clinical-summaries.

References

1. Tahhan N, Bullimore MA, Flitcroft I, et al. IMI-2025 Digest. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2025 Sep 2;66(12):27. doi: 10.1167/ iovs.66.12.27. 2. Bullimore MA, Saunders KJ, Wildsoet CF, et al. IMI-Interventions for controlling myopia onset and progression 2025. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2025 Sep 2;66(12):39. doi: 10.1167/iovs.66.12.39.