Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Myopia affected 2.62 billion people globally in 2020, projected to reach 4.75 billion by 2050. This systematic literature review (SLR) assessed the costs and healthcare resource utilisation (HCRU) associated with myopia.
METHODS: Embase®, MEDLINE®, CENTRAL®, and EconLit® databases were searched from 2009-April 2024, supplemented by key conference proceedings and trial registries.
RESULTS: A total of two studies reported costs per patient (CPP) for vision correction.

• One study in Singapore reported annual direct CPP of S$221.70. The mean annual costs for spectacles were S$123.20 per pair and contact lenses S$567.10.
• Another study in China reported on regional cost differences, with highest CPP observed in Shanghai (¥314.30) , and lowest in Ahui (¥155.40).

Four studies reported myopia management costs, with one conducted in both China and Australia.

• Australia: Lifetime CPP for traditional myopia management (TMM) was $7,437 and for spectacles was $7,280
• China: Lifetime CPP for TMM was $8,006 and low-dose atropine treatment was $4,453.
• Singapore: The total lifetime cost per capita of myopia was S$21,616.00.
• Spain: Annual CPP for myopic choroidal neovascularisation (mCNV) patients was €2,224.50 vs. non-CNV €375.00.
• Global: Uncorrected myopia led to $389.50 billion annual productivity loss; $27.20 billion informal caregiver costs. myopic macular degeneration resulted in $3 billion annual productivity loss.

Four studies reported HCRU of myopes. In China, ages 5-9 had the highest medical service use, particularly in lower-income areas. HCRU decreased with age in China and Taiwan. Spain reported fewer emergency visits for myopes with CNV, while Canada reported a 2% hospitalisation rate for myopic CNV patients.

CONCLUSIONS: This SLR highlights the substantial financial impact of myopia and the urgent need for cost-effective management strategies. Despite high prevalence, there is scarcity of published economic studies in myopia and the findings have limited generalisability due to the predominance of studies in Asian populations.