In late 2018, a number of companies and associations came together to partner globally to increase public awareness of childhood myopia, the risk of eye disease associated with myopia, and encourage consumers to ask their eye care professionals about treatment options for childhood myopia.
GMAC stands shoulder to shoulder with industry leaders and eye doctors to stop the myopia epidemic.
The Global Myopia Awareness Coalition (GMAC) is a coalition of leading ophthalmic companies and eye health associations with a mission to increase public awareness about the growing prevalence and consequences of myopia, especially in children.
GMAC develops messaging campaigns for the public and works with health care professionals and allied organizations to educate both parents and children to access early and regular eye exams and be more receptive to treatment recommendations from their eye care professionals.
Never before have so many leading eyecare organizations joined forces against the devastating consequences of myopia.
.png)
.png)
.png)
The Global Myopia Awareness Coalition is led by a Board of Directors that guides our strategic direction and by member companies that help accomplish our shared mission.
EssilorLuxottica
OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation
Jobson
Johnson & Johnson
Vyluma
VTI
World Council Of Optometry
The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness
Eyes On Eyecare
CooperVision
Since GMAC was formed in 2019, it has launched five successful consumer campaigns in the U.S. dedicated to raising awareness of myopia in children and motivating parents to ask about new treatment options.
We formed partnerships with allied health care professionals and other stakeholders in children’s eye health and vision—including pediatricians,
ophthalmologists, optometrists, and school nurses.
Two years later, we set out to assess the changes in awareness and existing perceptions around myopia and comprehensive eye exams since GMAC was formed. We conducted a survey of social listening and analysis of Google trends among 1.5K parents and found an increased awareness of myopia.
We tested potential messaging with over 4K parents in the U.S. through a rigorous qualitative and quantitative research approach.
We put the “global” into our acronym and extended our reach across the pond in the UK in 2022 to understand baseline awareness of myopia, short-sightedness, and new treatment options. We leveraged those findings to inform the UK consumer campaign. We will continue to explore additional markets in 2022 and beyond.
Chief, Lewenson Pediatric and Binocular Vision Service, Illinois Eye Institute
Executive Director, National Association of School Nurses
Global Head, Knowledge: Advocacy & Partnerships, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation
Vitreoretinal Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Byers Eye Institute
Associate Professor of Clinical Optometry, UCBSO, Founder & Chief, Myopia Control Clinic UC Berkeley Eye Center
MD, FAACP, FRCOphth, Division Chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, professor of ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
