Mumbai: ENTOD Pharmaceuticals is launching its annual nationwide campaign to combat the rapidly increasing prevalence of myopia, particularly in children, starting on November 14, 2024, coinciding with Children’s Day.
The week-long initiative will raise awareness about myopia’s growing public health threat and encourage early detection, prevention, and better management practices.
Urban children at risk
With Myopia rates surging globally, a recent study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology has projected that nearly one-third of urban Indian children aged 5 to 15 will develop myopia by 2030, a trend exacerbated by lifestyle factors such as excessive screen time. In fact, India is expected to see myopia rates increase to nearly 49% by 2050, making early intervention more critical than ever. This is a situation that demands immediate attention and action.
The National Myopia Week agenda was discussed at a media roundtable on Thursday in Mumbai. It was panelled by Nikkhil K Masurkar, CEO of Entod Pharmaceuticals, who stressed the urgency of the situation and said, “The rise of myopia in India, particularly among children, is a serious public health issue. With increasing numbers, education on preventive care and early detection becomes essential. Our annual campaign reflects ENTOD’s commitment to safeguarding vision health by ensuring that families are aware of regular eye checkups and lifestyle changes that can help manage and reduce myopia.”
The nationwide campaign in major urban areas
The campaign is expected to reach over 2 crore people, surpassing last year’s numbers, and will feature a series of educational and outreach activities to increase public awareness.
More than 1,000 doctors and between 5,000 and 10,000 volunteers will be involved in the effort, including Interactive sessions in schools featuring presentations by ophthalmologists and free eye screenings for children.
Free educational materials and free sample distributions are distributed at clinics and hospitals in multiple regional languages.
Radio awareness programmes broadcast across major cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Bangalore.
The campaign will target prominent urban areas such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Surat, Indore, and Jaipur. It aims to create significant community engagement and encourage regular eye checkups, which can detect myopia early and help prevent further progression.
Dr Jitendra Jethani, Senior Pediatric Ophthalmologist at Baroda Children’s Eye Care and Squint Clinic and Strabismus, who is part of the campaign, emphasised the role of parents and caregivers, saying, “Preventive care is the key to reducing myopia’s impact. Parents should ensure their children get regular eye screenings, limit screen time, and encourage outdoor activities. By supporting ENTOD’s campaign, we hope to educate families on protecting their children’s long-term eye health.”
As myopia continues to pose a major threat to ocular health in India, ENTOD’s campaign is a timely reminder of the importance of early detection, lifestyle changes, and education in safeguarding future generations’ vision.
The press meeting was also attended by Dr Siddharth Kesarwani, Director of JNR Children’s Eye Care & Squint Clinic; Dr Jay Goyal, Director of Surya Eye Institute & Research Center; Dr Pooja Ghalla Gogri, Director of Jyotirmay Eye Clinic; and Dr Chandrashekhar Chawan, orthokeratology, Speciality Lens Consultant, and Ocularist.
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