Parental awareness of the implications of myopia and strategies to control its progression: A survey‐based study

Purpose Myopia has emerged as a significant public health concern. Effective methods have now been developed to delay its onset and progression. However, this information may not be reaching parents, and they are key players in terms of implementing the necessary preventive measures. This study investigated parental awareness of myopia, its implications and the strategies available for controlling it. Methods A self‐administered online survey was distributed to parents of children 6–16 years of age. To be eligible to respond, their child had to be myopic or at risk of developing myopia due to family history. Results A total of 330 parents completed the survey, of which 321 were included for analysis. Sixty‐seven percent of respondents had at least one myopic son/daughter, and most were between −1.00 and −1.75 D. Among parents of myopic children, 20.9% thought that their child's myopia progressed moderately. Sixty‐seven percent of parents had a significant level of concern about the progression of the myopia and felt that it was caused mainly by the use of electronic devices and genetics. A generalised linear model showed that parental concern was significantly predicted by the perception of evolution (p