The European Myopia Network

In Europe, significant differences in myopia prevalence have been reported between countries, highlighting the need for coordinated regional initiatives capable of addressing diverse epidemiological, educational, and healthcare contexts. The European Myopia Network (EMN) is a collaborative initiative that brings together clinicians, researchers, and vision scientists across Europe who share a common goal: improving the understanding, prevention, and management of myopia. With the prevalence of myopia increasing worldwide, particularly in younger populations, coordinated scientific and clinical efforts are essential (1). EMN provides a European platform for collaboration, education, and research focused on this growing public health challenge.

At the core of the European Myopia Network is its European Council, headed by Prof. Andrzej Grzybowski from Poland. Under his leadership, the network has brought together 27 additional experts from multiple European countries and diverse professional backgrounds, creating a strong European platform for scientific exchange, education, and collaborative research in myopia (Figure 1). The Council reflects a broad range of expertise in ophthalmology, optometry, pediatric ophthalmology, orthoptics, and vision science. Other members of the Council include Dr. Carla Costa Lança (Portugal), Prof. Olavi Pärssinen (Finland), Dr. Leila Sara Eppenberger (Switzerland), Prof. Huban Atilla (Turkey), Dr. Patricia Delbeke (Belgium), Prof. Miguel Ángel Sánchez-Tena (Spain), Prof. Wolf Lagrèze (Germany), Dr. Pilar Merino Sanz (Spain), Dr. Jan Roelof (JR) Polling (the Netherlands), Prof. Christina Nicolaeva Vidinova-Zahova (Bulgaria), Dr. Trine Møldrup Jakobsen (Denmark), Dr. Teele Palumaa (Estonia), Dr. Stephanie Kearney (United Kingdom), Dr. Jelena Škunca Herman (Croatia), Prof. Hakan Kaymak (Germany), Prof. Dominique Brémond-Gignac (France), Dr. Cristina Álvarez-Peregrina (Spain), Dr. Beáta Tapasztó (Hungary), Dr. Oksana Averianova (Ukraine), Dr. Arvydas Gelzinis (Lithuania), Dr. Aleksandar Stojanovic (Norway), Prof. Aldo Vagge (Italy), Dr. Megan Doyle (Ireland), Dr. Catherine Augusta Walter Cassiman (Belgium), Dr. Pelsin Demir (Sweden), Prof. Arnaud Sauer (France), and Max Aricochi (Austria). This coordinated structure fills a long‑standing gap in Europe, where myopia‑related research and clinical practice have traditionally been fragmented across national borders. By providing a unified platform, the EMN enables a level of harmonization and cross‑country collaboration that has not previously existed in the region.

Countries highlighted in blue indicate those represented in the EMN, illustrating the multinational structure of the network and its broad geographic representation across Europe. Countries shown in gray represent other European countries not currently represented in the EMN.

Through this geographically diverse representation, the council helps ensure that the network reflects the wide variety of clinical practices, healthcare systems, and research traditions across Europe.

A major strength of the European Myopia Network is its multinational and multidisciplinary character. Myopia is a complex condition influenced by genetic, environmental, behavioral, and educational factors. Addressing such complexity requires collaboration among experts from multiple fields. Within the network, ophthalmologists work alongside optometrists, orthoptists, epidemiologists, and vision scientists. This multidisciplinary environment allows EMN to examine myopia not only as a clinical refractive condition but also as a broader public health issue affecting children, families, and healthcare systems.

Another important strength of the network is its role as a platform for knowledge exchange and education. EMN maintains a dedicated website that provides educational and scientific resources, including lectures and multimedia materials, curated resources, summaries of recent scientific publications, and archives of articles related to myopia research. The EMN also hosts regular online meetings in which experts present new findings, discuss clinical challenges, and share best practices in myopia prevention and management. Recordings of previous meetings are available on the EMN website.

The network also functions as a facilitator of collaborative research initiatives. By bringing together experts from multiple countries, the European Myopia Network enables studies that would be difficult to conduct within a single national framework. Collaborative projects allow researchers to compare epidemiological patterns, clinical approaches, and public health strategies across different regions. Such comparisons are particularly valuable in the field of myopia, where environmental and educational factors can strongly influence disease prevalence.

In addition, members participate in international initiatives aimed at harmonizing clinical approaches to myopia management. One such effort is the Global Myopia Management Study 2026, an international Delphi consensus project designed to establish expert agreement on contemporary clinical practices in myopia management across different regions of the world, including Europe, the United States, and China. The study brings together leading specialists to compare treatment strategies, preventive approaches, and clinical decision-making processes in different healthcare environments. Through this structured expert consultation process, the project aims to identify areas of consensus and variation in current practice, contributing to the development of more consistent and evidence-based global recommendations for myopia management.

A current example of the network's collaborative research approach is The Influence of National Education Systems and Practices on Myopia Prevalence in School-Aged Children Across Europe. This initiative was inspired by recent systematic reviews and meta-analysis showing considerable variation in myopia prevalence across European countries (2, 3, 4). One possible explanation for this variation may involve differences between national education systems, including school schedules, study intensity, time spent outdoors, and near-work demands. To explore this hypothesis, the European Myopia Network is collecting standardized data on educational practices across Europe. Experts from each country have been invited to contribute their insights through a targeted questionnaire addressing the structure, culture, and practices of their national education systems. By relating these educational factors to available epidemiological data on myopia prevalence, the study aims to provide a first pan-European exploratory analysis of how educational environments may be associated with childhood myopia. The results could have important implications for public health policy, potentially informing recommendations on school practices, outdoor activity, and visual hygiene for children.

Beyond research and education, the European Myopia Network also plays an important role in raising awareness of myopia as a public health issue. In many parts of the world, particularly in East Asia, myopia has reached very high prevalence levels. Monitoring myopia trends in Europe is therefore important to support early public health strategies and help prevent similar increases in prevalence. High myopia is associated with serious ocular complications later in life, including retinal detachment, glaucoma, and myopic maculopathy. By promoting early detection, preventive strategies, and evidence-based management, the network contributes to efforts aimed at reducing the long-term burden of myopia-related visual impairment.

A further distinctive feature of the European Myopia Network is its open and inclusive membership model. The network welcomes ophthalmologists, optometrists, orthoptists, researchers, and other professionals interested in myopia prevention and management. Importantly, membership in the European Myopia Network is free of charge. This policy reflects the network's commitment to broad participation and international collaboration. By removing financial barriers, the network encourages professionals from all European countries and beyond to join the initiative and contribute to its activities.

Members of the network can access a variety of opportunities. They can participate in online meetings and expert discussions, access educational and scientific resources, collaborate in multinational research projects, and connect with leading European experts in myopia research. The network also provides a forum where clinicians and researchers can exchange experiences, discuss emerging technologies and treatments, and identify priorities for future research.

In summary, the European Myopia Network represents a pan-European community of experts committed to improving the understanding and management of myopia. It also provides a platform for professionals who wish to contribute to a coordinated European response to one of the most relevant emerging challenges in modern ophthalmology.