Study: Myopia in children is increasing worldwide

By 2050, the number of children and young people with myopia (nearsightedness) is expected to rise to more than 740 million, a Chinese research team wrote in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. That’s about 40 percent of adolescents aged five and over worldwide.

For the predictions, the group led by Yajun Chen of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou evaluated studies and government reports from 50 countries around the world. In all, data on more than 5.4 million children and young people aged 5 to 19 was included, of whom more than 1.9 million had myopia.

Myopia usually begins in childhood, when distant objects become blurry. Although genetic predisposition may be the cause, experts blame behavioral changes such as spending time indoors and spending a lot of time in front of screens for the sharp increase seen over the years.

Differences by age and gender

The prevalence of myopia rose sharply between 1990 and 2023. While the number of children and young people affected remained largely stagnant between 1990 and 2010 at 24 to 25 percent, the increase accelerated in the following years. In 2023, 36 percent of children and young people were said to be myopic.

There are also gender differences: girls are affected slightly more than boys, which, according to the researchers, is partly due to the fact that girls tend to spend less time outdoors and more time in activities where they focus on close-up objects. Long school years and living in the city also increase the likelihood of developing myopia.

Global Challenge

Myopia could become a “global health burden” in the future, the study says. The increase is expected to be greater in low- to middle-income countries than in high-income countries. The scientists projected the highest prevalence in Asia, at 69 percent, in 2050. One possible reason for this is that children there start school earlier.

The phenomenon was most prevalent between 1990 and 2023 in Japan and South Korea, with approximately 86 and 74 percent of cases. Russia (46%), Singapore (44%) and China (41%) were also severely affected. Myopathy was less frequently recorded in several African countries such as Uganda and Burkina Faso, with approximately 1.3 percent each. In Paraguay, according to the study, less than 1 percent of children and young people were affected.