Modern Living Is Giving Us Bad Eyesight
Step away from your computer and get outside
By 2030, 40% of the world’s population will be nearsighted, up from 28% in 2010. The number of people with high myopia—severe short-sightedness—is projected to almost double during that time, affecting 516.7 million people. Researchers say increasingly digital, urban lifestyles are to blame for that declining vision, and East Asia, Southeast Asia, and North America will be particularly hard-hit. Already in Taiwan, more than 80% of teenagers have myopia.
The data, which stems from a 2016 Ophthalmology paper, was published in the World Health Organization’s first World Report on Vision this week.
Myopia occurs either when the distance between the cornea — the clear protective covering at the front of the eye — and the retina, which converts light into brain signals, is too far, or the cornea is too curved. That distance or curvature means light rays fall in front of the retina instead of on it, making far-away objects appear blurry.
Myopia develops during childhood while the eyes are still growing. The condition stops progressing when the eyes become fully mature, typically in the early to mid-20s. If vision deteriorates at a faster rate, people can end up with high myopia, meaning sight is 20/400 or worse and requires a prescription of at least -5.00. People with high myopia have a greater risk of developing glaucoma, cataracts, retinal detachment, and macular degeneration, all of which can lead to permanent blindness.
Myopia is partially genetic, so if your parents are nearsighted you probably are too. But environmental factors also influence eyesight, especially when people are young. One of the biggest connections is between education and myopia, with more years of schooling, time spent studying, and even higher academic grades linked to increased myopia. That’s right, the old trope of nerds wearing glasses is actually rooted in truth. Numerous studies have shown that the more time kids spend on “near work,” such as reading, doing homework, using a computer, or playing video games, the greater their likelihood of developing myopia.
“The development of myopia is stimulated by schooling, particularly where competition (homework for example) starts early,”…
