The proposed ETN “Myopia: fundamental understanding needed” (MyFUN) provides an international, interdisciplinary platform to train young scientists at the interface of physics and biology, to study unresolved questions about the visual control of eye growth. It has been extensively documented that the growth of the eye is controlled by closed-loop visual feedback, using retinal image defocus as an error signal. However, with tense education, predominant indoor activity and extensive near work, the eyes of young people grow too long and become near-sighted (myopic), reaching a prevalence of 95% in some Asian cities and 50% at German universities. While myopia is clearly a civilization disorder, it is strikingly unclear by which visual stimuli it is triggered, and how it can be stopped. Emerging optical interventions have still only moderate effects. There are fundamental questions, like “Why does myopia not limit itself?”, “Why does undercorrection not reduce its progression?”, “Why are the effects of new spectacle designs to inhibit myopia so small?”, “What determines when it starts and can we find biological markers to predict myopia in individual cases?”. We propose a scheme of novel experiments, divided into 14 research projects that all have sufficient scientific depth and merit to merge into 14 successful PhD theses. The answers to the research questions will fundamentally improve our understanding of myopia, will be recognized worldwide and will represent a major contribution of the European Community to the global problem of the rising incidence of myopia. Our consortium consists of 7 Beneficiaries, combining the expertise of 5 academic partners with excellent research and teaching records and 2 fully integrated private sector partners. MyFUN will be supported by a management team experienced in multi-site training activities and counselled by a scientifically accomplished External Advisory Board.

As we get older, we all will develop eyesight problems. Around the age of 65 more than half of us suffer from eye lens clouding, or cataracts. Cataract surgery is now the most common operation in Europe, with 4.3 million people getting treated each year, a figure that will only increase due to our fast aging population. However, 200,000 of them are not satisfied with the outcome of their eye correcting surgeries as they can’t experience on forehand what their vision will be. Voptica has developed the Visual Adaptive Optics (VAO) simulator, a disruptive innovation in eye testing, allowing patients to experience the effect of intraocular lenses or laser surgery on their vision before the actual operation, helping the patient and doctor to select their best solution and understand what their vision will be like post-surgery. Our technology is used by world-leading research institutes and lens-manufactures, but to prepare VAO for clinical market introduction our project BeVision will refine its software protocols, make it interoperable and clinically validate the technology. After a successful clinical validation, VAO will be the only medical device in the world that can measure objectively all eye aberrations of patients and, subsequently, simulate the different optical solutions to correct the patient’s eye imperfections during visual testing. Our technology will dramatically improve the outcomes of cataract and laser refractive surgeries. Our highly competitive technology can swiftly disrupt the $4.4 billion ophthalmology device market, generating a rapid business growth for Voptica, with a cumulative revenue of € 36.4m and a profit of € 8.6m by 2025. To make BeVision a commercial success, we have assembled a consortium with a solid track record in the development, optimisation, clinical validation and commercialisation of ophthalmic devices and have all the skills and resources for its commercial exploitation to benefit our business and Europe.