CooperVision Expands Myopia Control Lens to Asia-Pacific, Confronting Childhood Vision Crisis

ROCHESTER, NY – March 02, 2026 – In a significant move to combat the escalating global health crisis of childhood myopia, CooperVision has announced the expansion of its MyDay® MiSight® 1 day contact lenses into the Asia-Pacific region. The immediate availability in Australia and New Zealand, alongside new launches in South Africa and Israel, marks a critical step in making advanced myopia control accessible to millions of children worldwide.

The expansion builds on a successful rollout across Europe and the Middle East, underscoring a strategic push by the company to address what health experts have termed a pediatric epidemic. With nearly one in three children globally now affected by myopia, or nearsightedness, the need for effective interventions has never been more urgent.

"Myopia is a pressing health challenge of epic proportions," said Debbie Olive, Chief Commercial Officer for CooperVision, in the company's official announcement. "The growing availability and adoption of our myopia control contact lenses...are helping drive a meaningful shift in pediatric eye care by supporting children's vision today while helping protect their sight for the future."

A Growing Epidemic Meets a New Intervention

The statistics surrounding childhood myopia are staggering. Global prevalence has surged in recent decades, a trend accelerated by lifestyle changes including increased screen time and reduced time spent outdoors. Projections indicate that by 2050, half of the world's population—nearly 5 billion people—will be myopic. The Asia-Pacific region, now the focus of CooperVision's expansion, is the epicenter of this crisis, with some urban areas in East Asia seeing myopia rates as high as 80-90% among young adults.

This is more than an issue of needing stronger glasses. High myopia significantly increases the risk of developing serious, sight-threatening conditions later in life, including retinal detachment, glaucoma, and myopic maculopathy. By addressing the condition in childhood, the goal is to slow the progression and reduce the likelihood of these future complications.

This public health backdrop makes the introduction of evidence-based treatments like MyDay® MiSight® 1 day particularly crucial. The expansion into Australia and New Zealand places this technology directly into a high-prevalence region, providing eye care professionals with a powerful new tool.

Beyond Correction: The Science of Myopia Control

Unlike traditional contact lenses or glasses that simply correct blurry distance vision, the MyDay® MiSight® 1 day lens is engineered to actively manage the condition. The product combines two of CooperVision's core technologies: the proven MiSight® 1 day ActivControl® Technology and the advanced silicone hydrogel material from its MyDay® lens family.

ActivControl® Technology utilizes a revolutionary dual-focus optical design. The lens features zones that correct the refractive error to provide clear vision, which alternate with zones that create myopic defocus. This means the lens simultaneously brings peripheral light into focus in front of the retina, rather than behind it. This is believed to remove the stimulus that encourages the eye to grow longer, which is the underlying cause of myopia progression.

The efficacy of this approach is backed by extensive clinical research. CooperVision's multi-year study, the longest-running soft contact lens trial for myopia control, demonstrated that MiSight® 1 day slows the rate of myopia progression by an average of 59% compared to a standard single-vision lens. Crucially, it also reduced the rate of axial elongation—the physical lengthening of the eye—by 52%. Axial length measurement is now considered the gold standard by experts for tracking the physical progression of myopia.

Furthermore, a seven-year follow-up study confirmed that the benefits are sustained. Children who ceased treatment showed no evidence of a "rebound effect," where progression rapidly accelerates. Instead, their eye growth normalized to rates expected for non-myopic children of the same age, indicating the gains achieved during treatment were retained.

A Crowded Field of Treatment

CooperVision's lens enters a dynamic and increasingly competitive myopia control market. For decades, parents and practitioners have had a growing number of options, each with its own benefits and considerations.

• Orthokeratology (Ortho-K): These rigid, gas-permeable lenses are worn overnight to temporarily reshape the cornea, providing clear vision during the day. Ortho-K has shown efficacy rates of 40-60% in slowing myopia progression and represents a significant market, particularly in Asia.

• Low-Dose Atropine Eye Drops: Once-daily application of low-concentration atropine drops has proven effective, slowing progression by 30-50%. It is a widely adopted pharmacological approach, particularly for younger children or those not ready for contact lenses.

• Specialized Spectacle Lenses: Glasses are also evolving beyond simple correction. Lenses featuring technologies like Diffusion Optics Technology (DOT) or Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) use innovative designs to manage peripheral defocus, with studies showing efficacy rates comparable to other leading interventions.

The MyDay® MiSight® 1 day lens positions itself as a convenient, non-invasive daily disposable option that combines proven efficacy with the comfort and high oxygen transmissibility of a modern silicone hydrogel material, making it an attractive choice for active children.

Strategic Vision: Capturing a Multi-Billion Dollar Market

The global expansion is a calculated strategic move by CooperVision to solidify its leadership in a rapidly expanding market. The global myopia treatment market was valued at over US$18 billion in 2023 and is projected to soar to US$41 billion by 2032. The Asia-Pacific region is the largest and fastest-growing segment, with its myopia treatment market expected to exceed US$6.3 billion by 2030.

By establishing a strong presence in key APAC markets like Australia and New Zealand, and with further expansion planned, CooperVision is positioning itself to capture a significant share of this growth. The company's ability to navigate complex regulatory pathways—the lens is already FDA-approved in the U.S. and CE-marked in Europe—provides a distinct competitive advantage.

"As MiSight® products become available in more markets worldwide, CooperVision's scale and focus are driving a shift in the paradigm, from simply correcting vision to actively controlling myopia progression," noted Jennifer Lambert, a company vice president, in the press release.

For families, the increasing availability of these advanced treatments is welcome news, though access and affordability remain key considerations. The cost of myopia control interventions is typically higher than traditional vision correction, and insurance coverage varies widely by region and provider. However, as awareness of myopia's long-term health risks grows, the paradigm is shifting, with more parents and practitioners viewing these treatments not as a luxury, but as an essential investment in a child's lifelong vision health.