Can Anti-Inflammatories Slow Myopia?

New clinical evidence links systemic inflammation to childhood myopia, suggesting anti-inflammatory treatment could delay progression

By
Jody Summers
R. Michael Siatkowski
September 21, 2026
3 min

The Ophthalmologist

Overview

A study presented at ARVO 2026 indicates that systemic inflammation may contribute to childhood myopia progression. Treatment with systemic anti-inflammatory medications was associated with slower myopia progression and delayed onset in affected children, but these findings are preliminary.

Background

Myopia is a growing global concern, particularly in children, as it is linked to serious ocular complications later in life. Current treatments, such as low-dose atropine, have uncertain long-term efficacy. Understanding the role of inflammation in myopia could provide insights into its progression.

Data Highlights

Group	Myopia Progression (D/year)	Onset Age (years)
Untreated JIA	0.23	10.19
Treated JIA	0.12	17.51
Control	0.23	10.19

Key Findings

Children with untreated juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) were more myopic than controls.
Systemic anti-inflammatory therapy was linked to less myopia in older patients.
Patients receiving therapy had a slower rate of myopia progression (0.12 D/year).
Onset of myopia was delayed in treated patients (17.51 years) compared to untreated controls.
Inflammatory mediators may influence ocular growth and refractive development.

Clinical Implications

The findings indicate that systemic inflammation may play a role in myopia progression. However, the study's retrospective design and limitations warrant cautious interpretation of the results.