Global Prevalence of Child Myopia Is Increasing

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 25, 2024 (HealthDay News) — The global prevalence of child myopia is increasing and is projected to reach 39.80 percent in 2050, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published online Sept. 24 in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Jinghong Liang, from Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou, China, and colleagues conducted a literature review to examine the global and regional prevalence of myopia and its occurrence within specific demographic groups. The analysis included 276 studies, with 5,410,945 children or adolescents from 50 countries in six continents.

The researchers observed a gradual increase in the pooled prevalence of myopia, varying from 24.32 to 35.81 percent from 1990 to 2023; prevalence is projected to reach 36.59 and 39.80 percent in 2040 and 2050, respectively. A higher proportion of myopia prevalence is exhibited in individuals residing in East Asia (35.22 percent) or in urban areas (28.55 percent) and in females, adolescents, and high school students (33.57, 47.00, and 45.71 percent, respectively).

“It is crucial to recognize that myopia may become a global health burden in the future,” the authors write. “To address this growing epidemic, further research with a more region-specific approach is required to develop effective strategies at the local level.”

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