I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to you as a Queensland optometrist to highlight a growing public health concern—childhood myopia—and to advocate for a comprehensive, whole-of-life approach to eye health in Queensland. Myopia, commonly known as near-sightedness, is an increasingly prevalent condition that typically begins in childhood and can progress into adulthood. Current data suggests that by 2050, myopia will affect 50% of the global population. This trend is alarming, given the associated sight-threatening ocular conditions such as retinal detachment, myopic maculopathy, glaucoma, and cataract, which can significantly impair vision and quality of life. Optometrists like me are at the forefront of diagnosing, managing, and treating myopia. The children we see with myopia often struggle with poor distance vision, affecting their educational and social development. Risk factors for myopia include family history, ethnicity, limited outdoor activities, extensive near work, and high usage of digital devices. The Queensland Health Primary School Health Nurse Readiness Program (PSHNRP) is one of the country’s most recognised pre-school vision screening programs. However, it is crucial to extend this program through the introduction of a second phase of the PSHNRP to screen children before they commence high school. This phase would identify children at risk of myopia and include follow-up communications with their parents to ensure they pursue a comprehensive eye examination with an optometrist, enabling timely intervention and management. In parallel to this expansion of the PSHNRP, I’d like to see the Queensland Government working with Optometry Queensland Northern Territory on a statewide public awareness campaign on childhood myopia. Requiring a one-off investment of $100,000 from the Queensland Government, this campaign would emphasise the importance of regular eye examinations, focusing on myopia and other eye health issues, particularly targeting priority populations including people with diabetes; First Nations peoples; Queenslanders from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and residents of lower socio-economic and rural and remote communities. I believe that addressing the myopia epidemic requires a coordinated effort and so respectfully ask for your support for these proposals. Together, we can make a significant impact on the eye health of our children and communities. Thank you for your time and consideration. If it is of interest, I would be delighted to meet with you and discuss these issues further.

I hope this email finds you well. As a practicing optometrist in Queensland, I am reaching out to you to address an escalating public health issue—childhood myopia—and to advocate for a comprehensive, whole-of-life approach to eye health in our state. The Queensland Health Primary School Health Nurse Readiness Program (PSHNRP) is a leading pre-school vision screening initiative. However, it is imperative to extend this program by introducing a second phase to screen children before high school entry, enabling identification of children at risk of myopia. Myopia, or near-sightedness, is becoming alarmingly common, usually starting in childhood and worsening over time. Predictions indicate that by 2050, half of the global population will be affected by myopia. This trend is concerning due to the increased risk of sight-threatening ocular conditions such as retinal detachment, myopic maculopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts, which can severely impact vision and quality of life. As optometrists, we are crucial in diagnosing, managing, and treating myopia. Children with myopia frequently experience poor distance vision, which hampers their educational and social development. Factors contributing to myopia development include family history, ethnicity, limited outdoor activity, extensive near work, and high usage of digital devices. Extending the PSHNRP to screen primary-school aged children would identify at-risk children and facilitate follow-up communications with their parents, ensuring they seek comprehensive eye examinations with optometrists for timely intervention and management. In addition to expanding the PSHNRP, I propose that the Queensland Government collaborates with Optometry Queensland Northern Territory by committing $100,000 to launch a statewide public awareness campaign on childhood myopia. This campaign would highlight the importance of regular eye examinations and focus on myopia and other eye health issues, particularly targeting priority populations, including people with diabetes, First Nations peoples, individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and residents of lower socio-economic and rural communities. Addressing the myopia epidemic requires a coordinated effort, and I respectfully request your support for these initiatives. Together, we can significantly enhance the eye health of our children and communities. Thank you for your time and consideration. I would be delighted to meet with you to discuss these issues further if it would be of interest.

I hope you are well. I am writing to you as an optometrist based in Queensland to draw attention to a pressing public health concern—childhood myopia—and to advocate for a lifelong approach to eye health across our state. Myopia, or near-sightedness, is increasingly common, typically developing in childhood and worsening into adulthood. Current estimates suggest that by 2050, myopia will affect 50% of the global population. This rise is alarming due to the heightened risks of sight-threatening ocular conditions such as retinal detachment, myopic maculopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts, which can significantly impair vision and quality of life. Optometrists play a pivotal role in diagnosing, managing, and treating myopia. Children with myopia face challenges with poor distance vision, which can affect their educational and social development. Key risk factors for myopia development include family history, ethnicity, limited outdoor activities, extensive near work, and high digital device usage. I would like to see the Queensland Government partners with Optometry Queensland Northern Territory to initiate a statewide public awareness campaign on childhood myopia. Requiring a one-off investment of $100,000 from the Queensland Government, this campaign would stress the importance of regular eye examinations, focusing on myopia and other eye health issues, and specifically target priority populations, including people with diabetes, First Nations peoples, individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and residents of lower socio-economic and rural communities. I would also encourage the Queensland Government to consider extending the highly regarded Queensland Health Primary School Health Nurse Readiness Program (PSHNRP). It is crucial to expand this pre-school vision screening program by introducing a second phase to screen children before they start high school. This extension would identify children at risk of myopia and ensure follow-up communication with parents to encourage comprehensive eye examinations with an optometrist, enabling timely intervention and management. Addressing the myopia epidemic requires a unified effort, and I respectfully seek your support for these proposals. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the eye health of our children and broader communities. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. If it is of interest, I would be pleased to meet with you to discuss these issues further.