United States: According to the latest findings, around one-third of children and teenagers across the globe are suffering from near-sightedness, and as the number of myopia cases, it is projected the total count will reach 750 million by 2050 among this age group as per an extensive study of the existing data pool published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
More about the news
The findings suggest that Gender, Urban area residents, and educational level seem to play a major factor in rising cases, as findings indicate.
Myopia, or short-sightedness, is described as a condition of difficulty in seeing objects lying at a distance. It typically begins in early childhood and is likely to grow to the worst stage as age grows, explained the researchers, scitechdaily.com reported.
The most recent global review of myopia prevalence only covered data up until 2015. To provide a more current perspective and aid healthcare policy and preventive strategies, researchers estimated both the present and future prevalence of myopia among 5- to 19-year-olds, projecting figures up to 2050.
The analysis drew on all relevant studies and government reports published through June 2023, incorporating 276 studies from 50 countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas.
Findings of the Study
Analysis revealed showed that now around one in every three children and teens have been suffering from the condition.
Based on trends through 2023, global myopia prevalence is projected to reach around 40 percent by 2050, representing over 740 million cases, up from 600 million in 2030. Low- and middle-income countries are expected to see a prevalence of 41 percent by 2050, with Asia anticipated to have the highest rate at 69 percent.
What more have researchers suggested?
According to the experts, the Covid pandemic might have a major role in the steep rise after 2020 of the cases, and “Emerging evidence suggests a potential association between the pandemic and accelerated vision deterioration among young adults,” scitechdaily.com reported.
The researchers attribute regional differences to rapid economic development in East and South Asia, which correlates with a sharp rise in myopia rates.
They also suggest that sex differences in prevalence may be due to girls reaching puberty earlier and spending less time outdoors, engaging more in close-range activities. They advocate for increased physical activity and reduced screen time for all children and adolescents.
They mentioned, “The elevated incidence of myopia observed in the Asian population, particularly among younger children, as compared with other regions, could potentially account for the observed ethnic disparity,” scitechdaily.com reported.
“Moreover, a correlation between the duration of education and the occurrence of myopia has been observed, suggesting that the early implementation of formal education in certain East Asian nations could potentially serve as a contributing element,” they added.
“Conversely, African populations exhibit a lower prevalence of myopia, likely attributed to lower literacy rates and delayed initiation of formal education, typically occurring between the ages of 6 to 8 years for most children,” they continued.
Moreover, “Despite these known limitations, given the large sample size included, our estimates of the prevalence of myopia are considered to be close to the precise number,” they concluded.