About

Safeguarding
Sight

Myopia is more than an epidemic. It’s a global crisis that many parents are not even aware of. Enter the Global Myopia Awareness Coalition—a diverse group of eye care companies, eye health associations, and providers locking arms to protect today’s youth from the short-term challenges and long-term effects of myopia.

The GMAC Story

In late 2018, a number of companies and associations came together to partner globally to increase public awareness of childhood myopia and encourage consumers to ask their eye doctor about treatment options for childhood myopia. Today, GMAC partners with professional associations to amplify patient education through eyecare professionals worldwide.

The GMAC Mission

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 partners with professional associations and their members to provide eyecare professionals with the tools and resources needed to educate parents and children about myopia, its impact on vision, and the importance of early and regular eye exams.

Meet the Individuals Committed to Myopia Awareness

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.

Lori Archer

CEO, UnitedHealthcare Vision

Sandra Block

President, World Council Of Optometry

François Couillard

CEO, Canadian Association of Optometrists

Elizabeth Lumb

Director, Global Professional Affairs - Myopia, CooperVision

Bill Scott

President, Jobson

Enzu Jeon

Senior Director, Global Strategic Marketing, Pediatric Eye Health Stronghold, Johnson & Johnson Vision

Significant Milestones

Since its formation in 2019, GMAC has launched six successful consumer campaigns to raise awareness of myopia in children and encourage parents to schedule eye exams. In 2025, GMAC shifted its focus to partnering with professional associations, providing eyecare professionals with educational materials to help parents better understand myopia.

January 2019

Forming Partnerships

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.

September 2021

Observing Trends

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.

January 2025

Engaging Professional Associations

‍GMAC launched a global strategy to distribute educational toolkits through professional associations, scaling outreach and impact on childhood myopia awareness.

September 2019

Testing Messaging

We tested potential messaging with over 4K parents in the U.S. through a rigorous qualitative and quantitative research approach.

October 2021

Going Global

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.

GMAC Advisory Board

Dr. Chukwuemeka Junior Obinwanne

OD, MOptom, Dipl. (AAO), FAAO, FSLS – Head of Cornea, Contact Lens & Myopia Control, De-Lens Ophthalmics (Nigeria)

Prof. Ian Flitcroft

MA, MBBS, DPhil – Paediatric Ophthalmologist, Co-Founder of Ocumetra
(Ireland)

Dr. Kanwal 'Ken' Nischal

MD, FAAP, FRCOphth – Division Chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology, UPMC Children's Hospital (USA)

Dr. Kate Gifford

PhD, BAppSc (Optom) Hons, GCOT, FBCLA, FIACLE, FCCLSA, FAAO – Optometrist, Clinician-Scientist, Co-Founder of Myopia Profile (Australia)

Dr. Maria Liu

OD, PhD, MPH, MBA, FAAO – Associate Professor of Clinical Optometry, Founder & Chief, Myopia Control Clinic, UC Berkeley (USA)

Dr. Pavan Verkicharla

PhD, BS Opt – Scientist, Head & Consultant Optometrist, INFOR Myopia
Centre, L V Prasad Eye Institute (India)