Mumbai, Nov 12: Marking the fifth year of the National Myopia Week initiative in India,National Myopia Week 5.0will be observed from November 14 to 20, 2026, with the theme#ActOnMyopia: A Jan Andolan to Protect Children's Vision. Initiated by MATANAND Welfare Foundation and supported by ENTOD Pharmaceuticals, the campaign aims to strengthen awareness about childhood myopia and encourage parents, educators, healthcare professionals and communities to work together to protect children's vision.
Building on its ongoing commitment to childhood eye health, this year's campaign seeks to turn awareness into action by encouraging regular eye examinations, timely consultation with eye care professionals and healthier visual habits among children.
Childhood Myopia: A Growing Concern for Parents
Myopia, commonly known as short-sightedness, is a vision condition in which distant objects appear blurred while nearby objects may remain clear. It often develops during childhood and may progress as children grow.
Uncorrected myopia can affect a child's classroom performance, participation in everyday activities and overall quality of life. Higher levels of myopia are also associated with an increased risk of serious eye complications later in life, making early detection and appropriate professional care important.
Parents and teachers can help identify possible warning signs, including squinting to see distant objects, difficulty reading the classroom board, sitting unusually close to a television, holding books or digital devices very close to the face, and complaints of headaches or visual discomfort.
The campaign encourages parents not to overlook these signs and to consult an eye care professional if they have concerns about their child's vision.
National Myopia Week 5.0: From Awareness to Action
Over the years, National Myopia Week has focused on bringing childhood myopia into public conversations and encouraging communities to prioritise children's eye health. The fifth edition continues this commitment under the unifying theme#ActOnMyopia.
The campaign will engage parents and communities through educational initiatives across hospitals, eye clinics, schools and other community settings. Eye care professionals will be encouraged to discuss childhood myopia with parents and share information on the importance of early detection, monitoring and appropriate management.
School-based awareness activities, including drawing competitions, will help children learn about eye health in an engaging way. Hospital and clinic initiatives will provide opportunities for doctors to communicate with families, while community outreach and chemist engagement will help strengthen awareness of childhood myopia and available eye care options.
Public relations, social media and digital communication will further amplify the campaign's message and encourage people to become active participants in protecting children's vision.
Through these collective efforts, National Myopia Week 5.0 aims to reinforce the belief that children's eye health is a shared responsibility.
Parents' Myopia Pledge: A Commitment to Children's Vision
A key initiative of National Myopia Week 2026 is theParents' Myopia Pledge, which invites parents to take a proactive role in protecting their children's vision.
Parents are encouraged to visit the official campaign website,NationalMyopiaWeek.org, and take the pledge to ensure that their child receives a regular eye check-up at least once a year and to spread awareness about myopia prevention within their community.
After completing the pledge process, parents can obtain their pledge certificate through the website, subject to the process provided on the portal.
The initiative aims to make regular eye check-ups a priority for families and remind parents that protecting children's vision begins with awareness and timely action.
Take the Parents' Myopia Pledge and join the movement to protect children's vision.
Building Healthier Visual Habits from Childhood
Alongside regular eye examinations, the campaign will encourage families to adopt healthier visual habits in children's daily routines.
Spending time outdoors, taking regular breaks during prolonged near work, maintaining a comfortable reading distance, ensuring appropriate lighting and establishing balanced digital-device routines can support healthier visual behaviour.
Parents should seek guidance from qualified eye care professionals regarding their child's individual risk, examination schedule and myopia management needs. Healthy visual habits are important, but they do not replace professional eye examinations or guarantee the prevention of myopia.
By promoting awareness and informed decision-making, the campaign aims to encourage families to take a more active role in their children's eye health.
ENTOD's Continued Support for Childhood Myopia Awareness
ENTOD Pharmaceuticals has supported childhood myopia awareness through its association with National Myopia Week and its focus on myopia management. Through its participation in the campaign, the company seeks to encourage scientific awareness, responsible eye care practices and meaningful engagement with healthcare professionals and communities.
ENTOD's MYATRO range forms part of its myopia management portfolio. The campaign also highlights the importance of educating parents about childhood myopia and encouraging timely consultation with eye care professionals.
As National Myopia Week enters its fifth year in India, the focus remains on building awareness that translates into action and ensuring that children's vision receives the attention it deserves.
A Message of Collective Responsibility
Dr. Nikkhil K. Masurkar, President of MATANAND Welfare Foundation, has emphasised the importance of collective responsibility in protecting children's vision. The campaign reflects the need to bring families, schools, healthcare professionals and communities together to make childhood myopia awareness more accessible and encourage timely eye examinations.
Through#ActOnMyopia: A Jan Andolan to Protect Children's Vision, National Myopia Week 5.0 aims to strengthen public participation and encourage parents to make children's eye health an integral part of their preventive healthcare decisions.
Join the #ActOnMyopia Movement
National Myopia Week 5.0 invites parents, teachers, eye care professionals, schools and communities to participate in the campaign and help spread awareness about childhood myopia.
Parents can visit the official campaign website to take the Parents' Myopia Pledge and obtain their pledge certificate after completing the process. Healthcare professionals, educators and community members are encouraged to share credible information, promote regular eye check-ups and help families recognise the importance of early detection.
This November, let us turn awareness into action and make children's vision a shared national priority.
Campaign:National Myopia Week 5.0
Theme:#ActOnMyopia: A Jan Andolan to Protect Children's Vision
Dates:November 14–20, 2026
Initiative by:MATANAND Welfare Foundation
Supported by:ENTOD Pharmaceuticals
Official Website:NationalMyopiaWeek.org
