Could a caffeine metabolite improve childhood myopia? 7-methylxanthine is being reformulated into a sustained-release oral therapy aimed at improving long-term control of axial elongation in childhood myopia. Written byBree Foster, PhD

https://www.drugdiscoverynews.com/could-a-caffeine-metabolite-improve-childhood-myopia-17301 Myopia, or nearsightedness, has quickly become a global public health challenge. Once considered a largely benign condition, it is now recognised as a major risk factor for irreversible visual impairment later in life. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that, if current trends continue, half of the world’s population could be myopic by 2050, with roughly 10 percent developing high myopia. This severe form of the condition thins and weakens the retina and optic nerve, increasing the risk of retinal detachment, glaucoma, and myopic macular degeneration.