Scientists from around the world gathered recently in Seattle, Washington, at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) to address the global increase in myopia (nearsightedness). Myopia rates, especially among children, have spiked dramatically over the past few decades. The National Eye Institute (NEI) organized the meeting to facilitate international collaborations aimed at understanding what’s driving the epidemic and how to control it.
Despite major research investments, the interplay between genetic and environmental influences, such as near work, outdoor light, and electronic device usage, remains unclear, according to NEI Director Michael F. Chiang, M.D. Chiang cited data that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated myopia rates, and that high myopia (a severe form of nearsightedness) could affect nearly 1 billion people worldwide by 2050.
“School-based vision programs are crucial for early detection and correction of myopia,” said Chiang, noting that uncorrected refractive error is a significant cause of vision loss in the United States, particularly among disadvantaged groups. “Research advances stand to make a big impact on those who need it the most.”
The myopia epidemic has hit hardest in Asia. In China, the prevalence among 15–19-year-olds is now 68.9%, with 9.9% having high myopia, said Seang Mei-Saw, Ph.D., National University of Singapore. Rates in China, Korea and Taiwan are all higher when compared with Europe, the U.S. and the Middle East.
Read the full news release from NEI.
Source: National Eye Institute