In recent years, with the development of social economy, the progress of science and technology and the change of life style, the prevalence of myopia has increased year by year and has a younger trend, and with the outbreak of COVID-19, children and adolescents attending short-distance online classes for a long time has accelerated the occurrence and development of myopia. Visual impairment caused by myopia and serious complications caused by high myopia have seriously affected people's quality of life, study and work. Therefore, the World Health Organization, the International Association for the Prevention of Blindness and China's health departments have put the prevention and control of myopia among children and adolescents on the agenda. However, the etiology is complex, and now it is considered to be related to genetic, environmental and other factors, which is briefly discussed in this review.