Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Vision problems like myopia or nearsightedness have traditionally been associated with aging. However, new research suggests that myopia cases keep on the rise and increasingly affecting younger populations. According to Euro News, the number of children and teenagers suffering from myopia worldwide is expected to exceed 740 million by 2050.
Myopia is a condition where individuals struggle to see distant objects clearly. This phenomenon has seen a gradual rise since 1990, with the percentage of children and teens affected increasing from 25% to 33%.
A recent study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology analyzed data from 311 studies involving over 5.4 million participants across 50 countries. While the rise in myopia cases was previously noted, the new research, led by scientists at Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou, China, offers updated projections across six continents, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the issue’s global scale.
The study predicts a 9% increase in global myopia prevalence between 2023 and 2050. Teenagers aged 13 to 19 are expected to be more affected than children aged 6 to 12, with more than half of teens and over a quarter of younger children likely to suffer from myopia by 2050.
The study also highlighted significant regional differences in myopia prevalence globally. Japan had the highest rates, while Paraguay had the lowest among the countries analyzed.
“This is a very concerning prediction, consistent with previous data, but now giving us more accurate and up-to-date estimates,” said Imran Jawaid, a pediatric ophthalmology consultant at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, who was not involved in the study.
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Jawaid added that while myopia was once considered a vision disorder rather than an eye disease, it is now known to increase the risk of complications later in life. “The worry with children is that if they develop myopia at a younger age, their eyes will continue to grow, potentially leading to more severe myopia,” he explained, indicating that younger children are at higher risk of long-term complications.
Although the study found higher myopia rates among teens, it also revealed that the rate of growth in myopia cases among children over the past three decades has been nearly double that of adolescents.
The exact cause of myopia remains unclear, but certain risk factors have been identified. Decreased time spent outdoors and more time doing “near work”—such as using screens or reading—are known contributors to the condition.
Preventing Myopia
Jawaid said that there are some simple ways to help prevent myopia, such as working at a distance of 30 cm from a book or a screen and spending time outdoors. “We always recommend that young children spend at least one to two hours a day outdoors because we know it’s linked to reduced levels of myopia,” he said.
The study’s authors also advised young people to adopt eye-protective habits, including increasing physical activity and reducing screen time, such as watching TV or playing computer games.
(Raidi/Agung)
