Entod Pharmaceuticals played a pivotal role in the 2024 #AllEyesonMyopia Campaign during National Myopia Week, which has recently concluded. As a leading advocate in this initiative, Entod orchestrated significant events across the nation to tackle the rising rates of myopia. The campaign, coordinated with the MATANAND Welfare Foundation and the Strabismus and Paediatric Ophthalmological Society of India (SPOSI), united healthcare experts, educators, and communities to focus on prevention, early detection, and effective management of this urgent health issue.
The outreach extended to over 5 crore (50 million) Indians, capturing the attention of parents, educators, children, and health professionals. With activities spanning 400 districts, 2,000 eye specialists facilitated programs like complimentary eye exams and myopia education workshops in 200 schools, benefitting over 50,000 students. Awareness initiatives in 250 eye centers engaged 1,00,000 patients and their families. More than 100 myopia awareness rallies, held in partnership with top eye care institutions, fostered community involvement that expanded the campaign’s impact.
Online, the campaign gained impressive momentum. Collaborations involved 100 social media influencers from parenting and health sectors, while 60 ophthalmologist influencers joined the campaign’s official website. Over 150 short videos and 500 posts were disseminated across social platforms, enhancing the campaign’s reach. Hashtags like #AllEyesonMyopia, #NationalMyopiaWeek, and #Entodpharma gained considerable traction on X (previously Twitter), resonating with millions. #AllEyesonMyopia achieved the Number 2 trending position with over 3,380 tweets in one day, reaching 1.8 crore (18 million) views. Both #NationalMyopiaWeek and #Entodpharma also garnered millions of interactions over several days. A creative campaign theme song was globally released on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, engaging an even broader audience.
The awareness campaign extended to remote areas like Kashmir, where initiatives in 18 schools and eye centers reached underprivileged populations. This impactful journey is set to be featured in a documentary produced by Hotstar, slated for release in early 2025 on their OTT platform, with an anticipated viewership exceeding 30 million in India.
Myopia or nearsightedness is a prevalent refractive issue causing blurred distance vision, often developing in childhood and influenced by heredity and lifestyle, such as excessive screen time and lack of outdoor exposure.
Recent research shows a significant rise in global myopia cases, predicting that by 2030, one-third of urban Indian children aged 5 to 15 will be affected. The prevalence in urban Indian youth is expected to jump from 21.2% in 2019 to 48.1% by 2050. High myopia (spherical equivalent = -6.00 D) can result in irreversible vision loss, marking this condition as a critical public health challenge.
Reflecting on the campaign, Nikkhil K Masurkar, CEO of Entod Pharmaceuticals, remarked, “At ENTOD, we aim to transcend treatment by fostering impactful awareness and education. With myopia being a rapidly escalating concern, particularly among children, proactive measures are imperative. Through our campaign, we sought to provide families with the essential knowledge and resources for safeguarding vision. The overwhelmingly positive response reinforces our dedication to a healthier future for upcoming generations by championing early detection, lifestyle modifications, and improved eye care practices.”
Dr. Pankaj Ranjan, MBBS, MS (ophthalmology), MHA, PGDM(DM), with expertise in cataract, glaucoma, and anterior segment at VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital and a senior ophthalmologist actively involved in the campaign, added, “The escalating myopia rates, especially among young individuals, underscore the necessity for initiatives such as this. Through collaborative efforts, we effectively engaged diverse communities and highlighted the significance of regular screenings, controlled screen exposure, and outdoor activities in curbing myopia progression. This campaign has been crucial in disseminating awareness and promoting early intervention, vital in averting severe complications tied to high myopia.”
The successful endeavors of National Myopia Week 2024 underscore the value of collective efforts in enhancing eye health, paving the way for a healthier community across India.