More than a third of children around the world were myopic in 2023, and that proportion will rise to almost 40% by 2050, according to new research published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology on Tuesday.
THE myopia or shortsightedness, refers to the condition in which nearby objects are clear but distant objects appear blurry. There has been a significant increase in the prevalence of myopia among children and adolescents over the last 30 years — from 24% in 1990 to almost 36% in 2023, according to the study.
Researchers at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, reached their conclusions by analyzing the results of 276 studies involving more than 5.4 million children and adolescents in 50 countries on all six continents. While this increase was largely gradual, there was a notable increase following the Covid-19 pandemic, say the researchers, who also noted regional disparities.
“Myopia has emerged as a major public health concern these days, with striking evidence of a rapid increase in its prevalence, especially in Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, China and Taiwan,” according to the article, which found that East Asian children had the highest rate of myopia, at 35% — more than double the rate of their white peers.
This may be in part due to the fact that East Asian children begin formal education at age 2 or 3, earlier than children in other regions, researchers say. Japan topped the list, with 86% of children myopic. South Korea had the second highest rate, at 74%.
Globally, children in urban areas have higher rates of myopia than those in rural areas, while girls were slightly more likely to suffer from the condition than boys.
The researchers emphasized that younger children are more vulnerable to environmental factors than adults, stating that “this is particularly significant for preschool-aged children as they are in a critical period of visual development characterized by high plasticity.”
Looking ahead, researchers predict that the prevalence of myopia will continue to increase among children and adolescents, reaching 36.6% in 2040 and 39.8% in 2050.
However, there are things parents can encourage their children to do to protect their eyesight. The researchers recommend that young people “develop the habit of regularly practicing eye protection measures.”
“Students should also increase the time spent on physical activity and decrease the time spent on non-active activities, such as watching television and videos, playing video games, and surfing the internet,” the researchers say, calling on authorities to reduce the workload of home and tutoring of students, in addition to promoting eye exams, early detection and treatment. These recommendations were reiterated by Dr. Benjamin Botsford, an ophthalmologist at UMass Chan Medical School, in an article for the The Conversation in June.
The progression of myopia in children can be slowed by taking breaks and avoiding long periods on a cell phone or computer, he wrote. Limiting close reading time outside of school — whether screen time or otherwise — can help slow the progression of myopia in children, he added.
Prolonged screen time can cause eye fatigue and dryness. Botsford suggests following the “20-20-20 rule.”
“Take 20-second breaks every 20 minutes to look 20 feet away from your device. Focus on relaxing your eyes and blinking. Occasional use of artificial tears, which can be purchased over the counter at pharmacies, can help with dry eyes,” he said.
Botsford also advises that spending time outdoors is good for your eyes, saying “it has been correlated with a reduced incidence of childhood myopia.”
This content was originally published in One in three children in the world has myopia, shows a study on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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