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A global study conducted by scientists from Sun Yat-sen Zhongshan University in Guangzhou has revealed an alarming trend of increasing myopia among the younger generation. The results, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, show that the problem is reaching epidemic proportions, RBK Life reports.
Among the 50 countries studied, Japan leads with a myopia prevalence rate of 85.95%, followed by South Korea (73.94%) and Russia (46.17%). Asia as a whole demonstrates the highest myopia rate – 35.22%, while in Latin America and the Caribbean this figure is only 3.75%.
Interestingly, in developing countries, the prevalence of myopia (31.89%) exceeds the rates in developed countries (23.81%). Globally, 30.47% of the population suffers from myopia, with a steady increase over the past decades: from 24.32% in 1990-2000 to 35.81% in 2020-2023.
The outlook for the future Is bleak: by 2050, about 40% of young people aged 5 to 19 are expected to be diagnosed with myopia, with girls being more susceptible to the disease. Experts attribute this to earlier puberty in girls and their tendency to spend more time studying than outdoors.