
Short-sightedness, or myopia, is a growing global health concern which is set to affect millions more children by 2050, the study warns. The study found 85% of children in Japan and 73% in South Korea are short-sighted with more than 40% affected in China and Russia. Paraguay and Uganda, at about 1%, had some of the lowest levels of myopia, with the UK, Ireland and the US all about 15%.
The increase was "particularly notable" after the Covid pandemic, the researchers say, as children spent more time on screens and less time outdoors.