In this opening talk from the joint American Association of Certified Orthoptists (AACO) and American Orthoptic Council (AOC) symposium "Understanding Myopia: Global Prevalence, Mechanism, Treatment, and Prevention in 2023" at AAO 2023, Kyle Arnoldi, CO, describes global myopia prevalence as well as myopia risk factors. Based on a literature review of studies from the 1950s through present day, myopia is projected to be an ever-increasing burden on the health care system and individuals, potentially heightened by future socioeconomic and environmental trends.