Myopia Risk Screener

This tool helps estimate whether a child may be at increased risk of developing myopia, or progressing if they are already myopic. It is based on the PreMO risk indicator and is intended for educational use.

1. Pathway

2. Details

3. Results

Has the child been diagnosed with myopia?

Your answer determines which scoring pathway is used.

Assessing: Risk of developing myopia

Child’s current age

Do either parents have myopia (short-sightedness)?

What is the highest level of myopia in the myopic parent(s)?

How old was the myopic parent when they first needed glasses?

Is a recent refraction result available?

Right eye SER (D)

Left eye SER (D)

⚠ One or both SER values indicate myopia (SER ≤ −0.50 D). Pathway changed to progression scoring.

SER = sphere + (cylinder ÷ 2). Enter signed values (e.g. +1.25 sphere, −0.50 cylinder).

Right sphere (D)

Right cylinder (D)

Left sphere (D)

Left cylinder (D)

⚠ Calculated SER indicates myopia. Pathway changed to progression scoring.

Is an axial length measurement available?

Right eye AL (mm)

Left eye AL (mm)

Assessing: Risk of myopia progression

Child’s current age

Current prescription (most recent)

Choose how to enter: direct SER or sphere + cylinder

Right SER (D)

Left SER (D)

R sphere

R cylinder

L sphere

L cylinder

Date of current prescription

Year

Month

Is a previous prescription available for comparison?

Needed to estimate annual progression rate

Previous prescription

Right SER (D)

Left SER (D)

R sphere

R cylinder

L sphere

L cylinder

Date of previous prescription

Year

Month

Do either parents have myopia (short-sightedness)?

Does the myopic parent have high myopia (−6.00 D or above)?

High parental myopia is associated with a stronger inherited risk of progression.

How old was the myopic parent when they first needed glasses?

Status: Uncertain

An eye examination is recommended.
Without a recent eye test it is not possible to apply the PreMO scoring model. A comprehensive examination can measure refraction, check axial length, and identify myopia at an early stage.

Do either parents have myopia (short-sightedness)?

What is the highest level of myopia in the myopic parent(s)?

How old was the myopic parent when they first needed glasses?

Lifestyle questions (optional)

For children already diagnosed with myopia, near work and outdoor time contribute to the hybrid risk score. For all pathways, these factors also inform the lifestyle guidance in your results.

Hours per day on near work outside school?

Reading, homework, screens (not including school time)

Daily outdoor time?

Onset pathway (not yet myopic): Uses the PreMO risk indicator, developed from the NICER Study. PreMO stratifies risk of myopia onset in children aged 6–10 and is best suited to children of white ethnicity living in the UK.

Progression pathway (already myopic): Uses a hybrid scoring model combining core PreMO variables (prescription, progression rate) with additional clinical factors including parental myopia history (severity and number of affected parents) and lifestyle factors (near work and outdoor time). This model is not a standalone validated instrument and results should be interpreted alongside professional clinical judgement.

References:
PreMO risk indicator (Ulster University)
McCullough et al. (2023) — doi:10.1111/opo.13416
Parental myopia and childhood myopia risk — doi:10.1111/opo.12403

Important: This tool is for educational purposes only. It does not diagnose myopia, predict an individual child’s exact future prescription, or replace an eye examination. Please consult a qualified eye care professional for personalised advice.

Learn More About Myopia