Nearsightedness rates in kids soar around world, UW School of Optometry weighs in

If your child has started wearing glasses lately, they aren’t alone.

Four-year-old Isadora visited the University of Waterloo School of Optometry & Vision Science on Tuesday.

“She’s had glasses since she’s been able to understand how to put glasses on,” her father Brad told CTV News.

But it seems more kids worldwide will be joining Isadora in needing glasses, although, for a different reason.

New research by the British Journal of Ophthalmology shows rates of myopia among children and teens worldwide has tripled over the last three decades.

“Myopia is nearsightedness, which is trouble seeing far away, and you can see up close,” said Lisa Christian, associate clinical professor at the School of Optometry.

One in three children worldwide are now nearsighted and Christian says the prevalence of myopia increased dramatically between 2020 and 2023.

“Certain cultures, certain ethnicities are a little bit more predisposed to myopia. But when we look at that huge increase in prevalence between 2020 and 2023, it can’t just be genetics right?” said Christian. “Researchers are now looking at other factors and environment seems to be one of the factors. What was happening during that period of time was COVID.”

People spent less time outdoors meaning more time was spent on electronics inside, which created the perfect storm for a change in habits at home and in schools.

A lack of outdoor time plays a role.

“Not having that outdoor bright sunlight seems to have changed and caused myopia or nearsightedness to increase,” Christian said. “If the eye elongates too much, you can develop conditions such as myopic maculopathy, retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataracts. These are all visual impairments.”

Given the condition is not reversible, and myopia tends to develop when people are younger, parents are encouraged to bring their children in annually for eye exams to help prevent or delay the process.

But at this rate, optometrists like Christian are keeping a close eye on the latest numbers.

“That increase in prevalence has gotten us concerned because if it continues with this trend, by mid-century – 2050 – almost 50 per cent of the global population will have myopia or nearsightedness.”