The project, known as The Cretan Model, is being presented in Heraklion (Irakleio) this week by the Emmetropia Eye Institute, under the scientific direction of Dr. Ioannis M. Aslanidis, in cooperation with international and local partners. Organizers say 5,000 children are expected to be examined as part of the initiative.

At its center is a proposed Greek-Chinese platform for the prevention and early identification of myopia and dyslexia. The collaboration involves Wenzhou Medical University in China, Eye Valley and the Hellenic Mediterranean University in the Cretan city.

The initiative has adopted the Phaistos Disc, the undeciphered clay artifact discovered in Crete, as its emblem. Organizers describe it metaphorically as an early example of a written text that remains inaccessible to readers, drawing a parallel with the difficulties experienced by people with dyslexia. The comparison is symbolic, however: there is no historical or scientific evidence linking the disc to dyslexia.

“We aim to address and manage two major contemporary challenges affecting children: myopia, which is projected to affect half of the world’s population by 2050, and dyslexia,” Aslanidis said.

He pointed to China’s experience in managing myopia, noting that the condition can become severe, while also highlighting developments in the assessment of reading difficulties and dyslexia.

The initiative also draws on the eyeRADAR method, developed by a Greek research team led by Aslanidis. The system analyses eye movements during reading to identify children who may be experiencing reading difficulties.