New Research: Over One-Third of Children Worldwide Are Nearsighted

According to new research, over one-third of children worldwide were nearsighted in 2023, and this rate is expected to rise to nearly 40 percent by 2050. Nearsightedness refers to a condition where objects closer to the eye are seen clearly, but distant objects appear blurry. The findings of this study, published on Tuesday, October 3, in the 'British Journal of Ophthalmology,' indicate a significant increase in the prevalence of nearsightedness among children and adolescents over the past 30 years, with the rate rising from 24 percent in 1990 to approximately 36 percent in 2023. Researchers from Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, arrived at these findings by analyzing the results of 276 studies involving over 5.4 million children and adolescents across 50 countries on six continents. The researchers, who also pointed out regional inequalities, noted that while this increase has largely been gradual, there has been a significant rise in the number of nearsighted children following the COVID-19 pandemic. This article indicates that nearsightedness today can be a major public health concern, with substantial evidence suggesting that the rapid increase in prevalence is particularly occurring in Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, China, and Taiwan, where the rates are more than double that of their white peers. Japan tops the list with 86 percent of children being nearsighted, followed by South Korea at 76 percent. Globally, children living in urban areas have higher rates of nearsightedness compared to those in rural areas, and girls are slightly more affected than boys. The researchers emphasized that younger children are more vulnerable to environmental factors than adults, which is especially important for preschoolers as they are in a critical period of visual development characterized by high plasticity. Looking to the future, researchers predict that the prevalence of nearsightedness among children and adolescents will continue to rise, reaching 36.6 percent by 2040 and 39.8 percent by 2050. However, the study notes that there are actions parents can take to encourage their children to protect their eyesight, including 'establishing a habit of regular eye protection measures' and engaging in more physical activities instead of watching television, movies, playing video games, and browsing the internet. Efforts by schools to reduce homework and promote eye examinations, early diagnosis, and treatment are other recommendations from this study.