The American Medical Association has added its support to efforts to classify myopia as a disease, a move the American Academy of Ophthalmology says could help prevent a public health crisis driven by rising nearsightedness. At its June 2026 meeting, the AMA House of Delegates approved a resolution recognizing myopia as a significant and increasing public health concern and calling on CMS to classify it as a disease so patients can receive appropriate treatment and insurance coverage.
Ophthalmologists emphasize that myopia is more than a need for glasses. Rupa Wong of the Honolulu Eye Clinic, an AAO spokesperson, said severe nearsightedness reflects elongation of the eyeball, which raises the risk of cataracts, glaucoma, myopic maculopathy, and retinal detachment later in life. She also cautioned that adults who had LASIK or PRK still need annual eye exams because their eyeballs remain longer than average, even if their distance vision has improved.
The resolution builds on an AAO initiative launched in 2021 and follows a 2024 National Academies consensus report recommending that myopia be classified as a disease. According to the AAO, myopia prevalence in the U.S. has nearly doubled since the 1970s and now affects 41.6% of the population; the World Health Organization projects half the global population will be affected by 2050. The AAO notes that early intervention can slow progression in children, with options including Stellest eyeglasses, multifocal contact lenses, orthokeratology, low-dose atropine eyedrops, and spending more time outdoors. Wong said most parents are not told such treatments exist, adding, "Kids' eye health is a public health issue. It's not a parenting issue."