Parents are being warned about the rapid increase in myopia in children, as a third of children now need glasses, according to a landmark global study.
According to the study, the number of cases among children and teenagers will reach 740 million cases by 2050.
Experts have long warned that this is because young people are spending less time outdoors and more time watching TV and playing video games.
But scientists say Covid, which forced millions of people to stay indoors, may have caused ‘accelerated vision deterioration’ in children.
Myopia, or myopia, is a growing global health problem expected to affect millions more children by 2050, the study warns.
The research published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology analyzed 276 studies which found that the number of cases of myopia worldwide tripled between 1990 and 2023, to 36 percent.
Prevalence has increased every decade since the 1990s: between 2001 and 2010, 25.3 percent of young people had the condition, compared to 29.7 percent between 2011 and 2019.
Researchers have shown that girls suffer from myopia more often than boys
Experts have long warned that this is because young people are spending less time outdoors and more time watching TV and playing video games
The World Health Organization estimates that more than half of the world’s population will suffer from myopia by 2050, compared to a third today, due to the increase in time spent indoors doing “near work” such as spending more time on schoolwork
There is also a strong variation in rates around the world.
In Britain, Ireland and the US, around 15 percent of children currently suffer from the condition.
The highest rates are in Asia: 85 percent of children in Japan and 73 percent in South Korea are nearsighted, while more than 40 percent are affected in China and Russia.
The age at which children start education is believed to have an impact. In Asia, it is common for children to start school at age 2 and researchers believe this is part of the reason for global inequality.
While in Africa, where education typically begins when children are six, myopia is seven times less common than in Asia.
The World Health Organization estimates that more than half of the world’s population will suffer from myopia by 2050, compared to a third today, due to the increase in time spent indoors doing “near work” such as spending more time on schoolwork
Girls are also likely to have higher grades than boys because they spend less time on outdoor activities at school and at home as they get older, researchers also suggested.
This latest surge can be attributed in part to the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to more remote learning, the authors suggested.
British eye experts advise parents to ensure children spend at least two hours outside every day, especially between the ages of seven and nine, to reduce the risk of myopia.
“The concern about short-sightedness cannot be overstated. Some of the things that so often cause myopia are unhealthy in themselves, such as spending less time outdoors,” says Professor Nathan Congdon of Queen’s University Belfast.
“In this sense, increasing myopia is a ‘canary in the coal mine’ when it comes to lifestyle changes,” he says.
‘First and foremost, do everything you can to encourage your child to go outside every day, ideally for 2 hours.’
The professor also warns that video games have an impact and recommends booking an eye test when your child reaches school age.
It’s not clear whether it’s the presence of natural sunlight, outdoor exercise, or the fact that children’s eyes focus on more distant objects that make the difference.
“There is something about being outdoors that is a real benefit for children,” said Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, clinical adviser to the UK College of Optometrists.
Although the risk factors are not yet fully understood, there is also a genetic element to myopia.
‘Children of two parents with myopia have a higher risk of developing the condition compared to children with one myopic parent. If one parent has myopia, the child’s risk of developing myopia is approximately 1.5 times greater. If both parents are myopic, the child’s risk of myopia is 2.7 times greater,” Dr Janice Lam, pediatric ophthalmologist at National University Hospital, Singapore, told Metro.
Myopia cannot be cured, but it can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses.
The World Health Organization estimates that more than half of the world’s population will suffer from myopia by 2050 due to the increase in time spent indoors doing “near work” such as schoolwork.