More than one in three children and teenagers worldwide are nearsighted, according to the largest study of its kind, prompting calls for them to cut down on screen time and increase physical activity.
Myopia is an eye condition that causes you to not be able to see objects clearly at a distance. It is usually corrected with glasses or contact lenses.
Experts aren’t sure why this happens, but studies have shown that kids who spend a lot of time using computers or smart devices are at higher risk, and some say spending more time outdoors could help.
The most comprehensive global analysis to date has revealed that myopia has increased dramatically over the past 30 years, with more than 740 million cases of myopia in children and teenagers expected by 2050.
Girls and children and teenagers living in urban areas are more likely to develop the condition, according to an analysis published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
Myopia typically begins in childhood and tends to worsen with age, according to researchers led by Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, who added that the condition is emerging as a major public health concern.
The latest global survey covers myopia prevalence going back to 2015. To obtain a more up-to-date picture and to inform health policies and prevention efforts, the researchers estimated the current and future prevalence of myopia among people aged 5 to 19 years up to 2050.
The research team consulted all relevant studies and government reports published up to June 2023. The research included a total of 276 studies involving more than 5 million children and teenagers and almost 2 million cases of myopia from 50 countries across Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa and Oceania.
Data were then pooled from all studies, taking into account geographic and other variables.
The analysis revealed that prevalence rose from 24% in 1990-2000 to 25% in 2001-2010, then rapidly increased to 30% in 2011-2019 and 36% in 2020-2023.
Based on figures and trends through 2023, the researchers predict that the global prevalence of myopia will reach approximately 40% by 2050, up from 600 million in 2030, with more than 740 million cases.
The rates are expected to be higher among girls and young women than among boys and young men, and among 13-19 year olds than 6-12 year olds.
The researchers say the COVID-19 pandemic may have played a role in the sharp increase since 2020. “Emerging evidence suggests a potential association between the pandemic and accelerated vision loss among young adults,” they wrote.
The researchers suggested that the gender difference in prevalence may be explained by the fact that girls reach puberty earlier than boys and tend to spend less time outdoors and more time in close-range activities. They called on all children and teens to get more physical activity and less time watching screens.
The researchers acknowledged limitations to their findings, including differences in design and methodology of the studies included in the pooled data analysis.
“Despite these known limitations, given the large sample size, our estimate of the prevalence of myopia is likely close to being accurate,” the researchers wrote, adding that “it is crucial to recognize that myopia has the potential to become a global health burden in the future.”
