February 10, 2026
Jennifer Lambert participated in a media seminar in Tokyo ahead of the official launch. Photo provided by CooperVision
CooperVision has officially launched MiSight 1 day in Japan, marking the first approved soft contact lens authorized in Japan for use in children to correct myopia and control its progression. To coincide with the launch, Review of Myopia Management spoke with Jennifer Lambert, Vice President, Myopia Management and Cornea Care, CooperVision, to learn more about the significance of this announcement and its potential to shape the global myopia management landscape.
Review of Myopia Management (RMM): How does the approval of MiSight 1 day in Japan fit into CooperVision’s broader global strategy for myopia management?
Jennifer Lambert: I’m particularly excited about this milestone, because the approval of MiSight 1 day in Japan as the first and only soft contact lens approved for slowing the progression of myopia represents a significant step forward in CooperVision’s global strategy to expand access to evidence-based myopia management.
Japan is one of the world’s leading vision care markets and accounts for a meaningful share of the global contact lens landscape. But, historically, Japan has had very limited adoption of myopia control interventions. I believe that with the introduction of MiSight 1 day, we are addressing a critical unmet need while reinforcing our longstanding commitment to science, clinical rigor and partnership with eye care professionals.
This launch builds on our global momentum (MiSight 1 day is now available in more than 40 countries!), and reflects our belief that proactive myopia management should be part of standard pediatric eye care worldwide.
RMM: With 77% of Japanese school children estimated to be myopic, what specific impact do you anticipate this launch will have on the local pediatric eye care market?
Lambert: The prevalence of pediatric myopia in Japan highlights the urgent need for early intervention options. Until now, most care has focused on vision correction alone, with relatively few tools available to help slow myopia progression.
MiSight 1 day introduces a new treatment paradigm—one that allows eye care professionals to not only correct vision, but address myopia progression with a child-friendly daily disposable lens. We anticipate that this will help shift conversations among clinicians, parents and caregivers toward earlier diagnosis and proactive management, with the potential to meaningfully reduce long-term risks associated with progressive myopia.
RMM: What were some of the key clinical or regulatory milestones involved in making MiSight 1 day the first approved soft contact lens for myopia control in Japan?
MiSight 1 day is supported by more than seven years of clinical research, including the world’s largest and longest clinical study of a soft contact lens for myopia control. In addition to the FDA study, we invested in a dedicated clinical study among 60 Japanese children in three clinical sites. This robust evidence base was essential in meeting Japan’s stringent regulatory requirements and also demonstrates our continued commitment to clinical rigor and evidence-based care.
This approval reflects the strength of the clinical data, as well as CooperVision’s long-term investment in advancing myopia science globally.
RMM: How does the Japanese launch compare to the rollout of MiSight 1 day in other major markets?
Lambert: Each market has its own regulatory and clinical context, but Japan stands out due to both the scale of pediatric myopia and the rigor of its approval process. While MiSight 1 day has been available in other major markets for several years, the Japanese launch represents a particularly meaningful step given the country’s historically low penetration of soft contact lenses for myopia control.
Photo provided by CooperVision
The Japan rollout of MiSight 1 Day will also take place in the ophthalmology channel, similar to other markets in Asia Pacific such as Taiwan, Korea and China where it is part of the medical channel. This differs from many other markets, such as the U.S. and many European markets, where MiSight 1 Day is available in optometric practices.
This rollout builds on global learnings, while setting a new benchmark for access in Asia-Pacific. It also underscores the growing international alignment around evidence-based myopia management, with MiSight 1 day now approved in Japan, the United States, China and many other regions worldwide.
RMM: What kind of support or training is CooperVision providing to Japanese eye care professionals to help them integrate this technology into their practices?
Lambert: Education and practitioner support are central to our approach. In Japan, CooperVision is providing comprehensive certification which includes clinical education, as well as training programs designed to help eye care professionals confidently integrate myopia management into practice.
This includes education on myopia science, fitting guidance, patient and parent communication tools and ongoing professional resources. Our goal is to ensure practitioners are supported not only with innovative technology, but also with the knowledge and tools needed to deliver effective, long-term care.
RMM: How do you see this launch shaping the future landscape of myopia management on a global scale?
Lambert: The launch of MiSight 1 day in Japan is another indication that myopia control is becoming an essential component of pediatric eye care worldwide. As prevalence continues to rise, we expect greater emphasis on early intervention, long-term outcomes and evidence-based treatment strategies.
This milestone reinforces the importance of collaboration across industry, clinicians, researchers and regulators to address myopia at scale. Ultimately, our goal is to help change the trajectory of childhood myopia—protecting vision today, while reducing the risk of vision-threatening complications in the future.
RMM: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Lambert: Ahead of the national launch, I had the opportunity to participate in a media seminar in Tokyo that brought together global and Japanese perspectives on myopia control. It was an important moment to take a step back and look at where Japan sits today within the global myopia management landscape, and where it can go next.
What stood out to me was the level of engagement from the medical and optometric community. There was a genuine interest in moving beyond vision correction alone and toward a broader understanding of myopia as a condition that benefits from early, evidence-based management. Hearing Japanese and international experts share insights side by side reinforced how much progress has been made globally, and how impactful it can be when those learnings are applied locally.
Being there in person underscored why this launch matters so much. It’s not just about introducing a new product, it’s about helping spark a shift in how childhood myopia is understood and addressed in Japan. That kind of dialogue is essential to building long-term change.
