1 in 3 children worldwide is now nearsighted, study shows [Video]

More than a third of children around the world were nearsighted in 2023, and this proportion will rise to almost 40% in 2050, according to new research.Related video above: Outdoor time reduces myopia risk in childrenNearsightedness, or myopia, refers to when closer objects are clear, but distant objects are blurry. There has been a significant rise in the prevalence of myopia among children and adolescents in the past 30 years – from 24% in 1990 to almost 36% in 2023 – according to the paper, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology on Tuesday.Researchers from Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, reached their findings by analyzing the results of 276 studies involving more than 5.4 million children and adolescents in 50 countries across all six continents.While this increase has largely been gradual, there was a notable spike after the COVID-19 pandemic, say the researchers, who also noted regional disparities.”Myopia has …