Frontiers in Ophthalmology · Published 2026-08-05 · DOI 10.3389/fopht.2026.1812006
Neeraj K. Singh, Jesson Martin
The escalating global prevalence of myopia—projected to affect nearly 5 billion individuals by 2050—represents one of the most pressing public health challenges of the 21st century. This comprehensive review synthesizes current evidence on light-mediated mechanisms governing ocular growth and their therapeutic explorations for myopia prevention and control. We examine how specific wavelengths, illuminance levels, and temporal exposure patterns influence emmetropization through chromatic aberration processing, photobiomodulation, and circadian regulation. This review provides a mechanistic framework for understanding how environmental light exposures shape refractive development and offers evidence-based guidance for implementing light-based interventions in clinical practice. As myopia transitions from a simple refractive error to a complex, multifactorial disease, these biologically informed approaches represent a paradigm shift toward prevention-focused management strategies.
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Singh, N., Martin, J. (2026). Role of light in eye growth and light as a therapy for myopia control. Frontiers in Ophthalmology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fopht.2026.1812006