Myopia

It’s that time of the year again… Time to stock up on pencils, wide-ruled notebook paper, and get your kids’ eyes checked. All kids should have their eyes checked at the beginning of each school year and prior to kindergarten. Many learning disabilities are diagnosed incorrectly and may in fact be vision problems. In particular, myopia in children is on the rise.

Estimates claim 20% of children have refractive errors and require either glasses or contact lenses to improve their vision. Myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism are the most common refractive conditions. Additionally, lazy eye can be present in children and needs to be treated as soon as possible to prevent permanent vision loss.

One-third of the U.S. population is currently affected by myopia, and childhood myopia is also on the rise. And the World Health Organization reports the numbers are bound to grow massively. In fact, they claim that by the year 2050, half the world’s population will experience myopia.

The WHO goes on to say that 20% of those individuals, especially in underdeveloped countries, will also be at a significantly increased risk for blindness.