The widespread occurrence of myopia has made it a public health concern, especially among researchers. Although the increase in its prevalence still remains elusive, researchers of a recent study on myopia have found that there is a link between rising cases of myopia and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Myopia or nearsightedness is an eye condition in which a person cannot see distant objects clearly. This vision can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses.

In their latest study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, researchers from China’s Sun Yat-sen University and Henan Provincial People’s Hospital found that nearly one in three children and adolescents worldwide suffer from nearsightedness.

Calling to discourage screen time and increase physical activity, he said the Covid lockdown has had a negative impact on the vision of children, who spend more time on screens and less time outdoors.

“Based on our trend analysis, it is observed that the incidence of myopia in children and adolescents has increased significantly globally over the past 30 years, with the prevalence increasing from 24.32% to 35.81%. This increase has been particularly notable since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the researchers wrote.

The study looked at research involving more than five million children and adolescents from 50 countries across all six continents. The highest rates are in Asia – 85% of children in Japan and 73% in South Korea suffer from nearsightedness, while more than 40% of children in China and Russia are affected.

Their analysis showed that the prevalence of myopia is set to triple from 1990 to 36% by 2023. The study warns that myopia is a growing global health problem, projected to exceed 740 million cases by 2050.

Nearsightedness usually begins in school and worsens over time until the eye stops growing, around the age of 20.

Several factors increase the chance of developing nearsightedness, of which living in East Asia is one of the most significant. Genetics, or traits inherited from parents, play a role, but other influences exist as well.

In regions such as Singapore and Hong Kong, children begin formal education as young as two years old. This early exposure to reading and screen time puts extra strain on their eyes, which research suggests can lead to myopia.

In contrast, nearsightedness is seven times less common in Africa, where children typically begin school at six to eight years of age.

The study further suggests that girls and young women may have higher rates of nearsightedness than boys, partly because they spend less time outdoors as they grow up, both at school and at home.

Additionally, girls often enter puberty earlier, which can cause them to develop nearsightedness at an early age.

“With the increase in enrollment pressure, the learning pressure and burden on students is increasing. As a result, they are spending more time focusing on close-up activities with their eyes, thereby spending less time on outdoor games and exercise,” the researchers wrote.34 This constant pressure on the ciliary muscles often results in eye fatigue and nearsightedness.”

According to the researchers, while the prevalence of myopia is projected to be highest in Asia by 2050, where about 69% of the population will be affected, the rate could be as high as 40% in developing countries.

The researchers further added, “According to our estimates, the overall prevalence of myopia is projected to increase by 9% between 2023 and 2050, leading to a substantial increase in the burden of eye disease, affecting more than 740 million children and adolescents.”

Common signs and symptoms of nearsightedness or nearsightedness include difficulty reading words from a distance, such as reading the board at school, sitting too close to the television or laptop or holding a tablet or phone too close to the eyes, frequent headaches, and rubbing the eyes too much.