Dr. Andrew Herbert, a psychologist specializing in visual perception at the Rochester Institute of Technology, warned that myopia could become an epidemic by 2050.
Half the world will need glasses by 2050, causing a global vision epidemic, vision experts warn.
Recent research shows that the rate of myopia (shortsightedness) has increased by almost 25 percent in several countries, including the United States.
Dr. Andrew Herbert, a psychologist specializing in visual perception at the Rochester Institute of Technology, warned that based on this research, if these trends continue, up to 4 billion people will need corrective lenses.
Despite previous concerns that screen time may be damaging our eyesight, Dr Herbert said the increase could be due to spending more time reading on devices and books close to the face, and less time outside.
“Myopia, or the need for corrected vision to focus and see objects at a distance, has become much more common in recent decades. Some may even consider nearsightedness, also known as nearsightedness, an epidemic,” Dr. Herbert wrote for The conversation.
“The increase in cases of myopia will probably have its worst effects in 40 or 50 years, because it takes time for young people who are diagnosed with myopia now to experience the most serious vision problems.”
An Ophthalmology Journal study predicts that half of the world’s population will be nearsighted or nearsighted by 2050
Myopia usually develops in childhood or adolescence, although it can begin at any age. It affects about 30 percent of the US population.
Myopia is a condition in which close objects look clear, but objects farther away look blurry.
Normally, vision depends on light passing through the cornea and lens. These parts of the eye bend or refract when light hits the eye, directing it to the retina, which is located at the back of the eye and which sends signals to the brain that interprets an image.
However, myopia occurs when parts of the eye are deformed and the eye cannot properly focus incoming light. This makes views appear blurry.
Myopia usually develops in childhood or adolescence, although it can begin at any age. Dr. Herbert noted that while it is hereditary, “there is no single gene for myopia.” That means that the causes of myopia are more behavioral than genetic.’
‘And it’s progressive. Blurring leads to growth of the eye, which causes more blurring, which causes the eye to grow even more, and so on.
Myopia affects about 30 percent of the American population, according to the American Optometric Association.
The agency also notes that high levels of screen time, such as looking at a smartphone, increased the risk of myopia by 30 percent, and if that was combined with excessive computer use, the likelihood increased to 80 percent. hundred.
However, Dr. Herbert pointed to two recent studies that included surveys of children and parents, which showed that increased myopia could be due to spending more time looking at multiple types of objects right in front of our eyes. They can be screens, but also books or drawing notebooks.
“The more time we spend focusing on something within arm’s reach, called ‘near work,’ the greater the chance of developing nearsightedness,” he wrote.
“As much as people blame new technologies like smartphones and too much ‘screen time’ for damaging our eyes, the truth is that even activities as valuable as reading a good book can affect our eyesight.”
Dr. Herbert also pointed to a 2022 study in the journal. BMC Public Healthwhich found that rates of myopia were four times higher in children who did not spend much time outdoors, such as just once or twice a week, compared to those who did so daily.
In developing countries, Dr. Herbert attributed the spikes to rapid development and industrialization, particularly in East Asian countries over the past 50 years. “Around that time, young people began to spend more time in classrooms reading and focusing on other topics very close to their eyes and less time outdoors,” he said.
For example, he pointed out research observing indigenous groups in North American Arctic communities after World War II, when schooling became mandatory for Inuit children.
“Myopia rates among Inuit rose from single digits before the 1950s to more than 70 percent in the 1970s, when all children first began attending school,” he said.
Rates have also increased in Western Europe, North America and Australia, although not as markedly, Dr. Herbert said. “The two main factors identified leading to increased myopia are increased reading and other activities that require focusing on an object close to the eyes and a reduction in time spent outdoors,” he said.
“But there appear to be two sure-fire ways to offset or delay these effects: spend less time focusing on objects close to your face, such as books and smartphones, and spend more time outdoors in bright, natural light.”
“Since the first tip is difficult to follow in our modern era, the best option is to take frequent breaks, or perhaps spend more time reading and walking outside in the sun.”