Abstract The incidence of myopia in children and adolescents has increased in recent years, with an earlier onset trend. During the same time, sleep problems are prevalent in children and adolescents, including insufficient sleep duration and delayed sleep timing. Sleep, as a cyclical life activity influenced by the circadian rhythm, plays an important role in eye growth and refractive development. This review examines the associations between sleep, circadian rhythm, and occurrence of myopia in children and adolescents across human and animal studies, and discusses the underlying biological processes, so as to offer scientific justification for the prevention of myopia in children and adolescents.