Digital health as a scalable strategy for equitable myopia management in East Asia
East Asia is facing a growing burden of myopia, with pronounced disparities in access to eye care between urban and rural populations. Digital health technologies present a scalable and cost-effective alternative to traditional myopia interventions that enhance early detection, risk stratification, behavioral modification, and public education. Artificial intelligence-assisted screening tools, wearable monitors, and mHealth initiatives, such as the World Health Organization-International Telecommunication Union MyopiaEd program, have demonstrated effectiveness in improving myopia prevention and health education accessibility. However, achieving a sustained impact requires rigorous validation, robust data governance, infrastructure investment, and integration with established clinical strategies. East Asia could be well-positioned to pioneer a comprehensive digital model for equitable myopia control.
Authors
- Deokho Lee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5992-9039)
- Kazuno Negishi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2892-9810)
- Junhan Chen
- Toshihide Kurihara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5457-2720)
- Kazuo Tsubota
Institutions
- Keio University (JP)
- Keio University Hospital (JP)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology
- Published
- 2025-08-25
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjo.2025.100241
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Global Healthcare and Medical Tourism
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.82