Childhood myopia and vision problems are increasing. What causes myopia? | Rohto Pharmaceutical: Product Information Site

Childhood myopia has been increasing in recent years, and it is said that lifestyle factors such as reduced outdoor activity and the use of smartphones and tablets are major contributing factors.
Children who don't play outside much and spend a lot of time looking at things up close are prone to nearsightedness, so be careful. It's also said that children of nearsighted parents are more likely to develop it. Prevention and appropriate care are becoming increasingly important. Let's take a look at the reality of declining eyesight in children.

The reality of declining eyesight in children
The number of children with poor eyesight is increasing year by year.
Is it related to myopia in children? Changes in living environment.
Children like this are more likely to develop nearsightedness.

Deteriorating eyesight in children has become a common health concern.
A survey of parents of elementary school children revealed that more than one in three elementary school children have uncorrected vision of less than 1.0. One in five wears glasses or contact lenses, and 70% of those wear them for nearsightedness.
The children themselves reported that it affected their daily lives, citing issues such as "difficulty seeing the blackboard during class," "eye strain," and "poor posture." (According to a 2024 survey by Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.)

Percentage of children with uncorrected visual acuity of less than 1.0. Data: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, School Health Statistics Survey

According to the School Health Statistics Survey conducted annually by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, more than 30% of elementary school students, about 60% of junior high school students, and about 70% of high school students have uncorrected visual acuity of less than 1.0. This figure has been steadily increasing for over 40 years. While a direct comparison is not possible due to differences in survey timing caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 survey showed extremely high percentages, with approximately 38% in junior high school, 61% in high school, and 72% in high school, the highest figures on record.

Myopia (nearsightedness) is a major cause of vision loss in children.
A 1999 report also indicated that myopia among Japanese children was on the rise, having increased between 1984 and 1996.
Furthermore, in 2017, a myopia research team at Keio University investigated the prevalence of myopia in elementary and junior high schools in Tokyo, finding that 76.5% of elementary school students and 94.9% of junior high school students had myopia.
Surprisingly, this survey revealed that 60% of children were already nearsighted by the time they were in first grade of elementary school. The increase in nearsightedness and its early onset are major challenges.

Why is childhood nearsightedness increasing?
Myopia is said to be influenced by both genetics and lifestyle, but the recent surge in childhood myopia is thought to be largely due to changes in the modern lifestyle surrounding children.

The amount of time, places, and friends available for playing sports and other outdoor activities has decreased.
- The spread of smartphones
- Tablet-based learning has increased.
- My study time has increased.
- I went to bed late.
- My sleep time has decreased.

If a parent is nearsighted, is it hereditary for their child?

Tasks that involve looking at things up close increase the risk of nearsightedness.

This study investigated the risk of developing myopia among 9,884 primary and secondary school students (median age 11.6 years) in urban areas of India, based on the amount of time they spent reading and writing, watching television, playing computer/video games, and playing outdoors. Each activity was rated as 0 or 1, with the child spending little or no time on each activity.
Studies have shown that prolonged activities, such as watching television or playing computer video games, increase the risk of nearsightedness. This indicates that close-up work increases eye strain and may raise the risk of myopia.

Do smartphones and games worsen nearsightedness?

Children with severe nearsightedness tend to go to bed late. Children with severe nearsightedness tend to have short sleep durations.

A study analyzing the relationship between sleep and myopia was conducted on patients who visited six ophthalmology medical institutions in Japan, including Keio University Hospital. The results showed that children with high myopia (ages 10-19) went to bed later and slept for shorter periods compared to children without myopia.

- Doesn't play outside much. - Goes to bed late. - Has short sleep duration. - Reads books from a distance of 30cm or less. - Uses smartphones or games for more than an hour at a time. - Spends most of school breaks in the classroom. - Parents are nearsighted.

If several of these apply to you, it is said that your risk of developing nearsightedness in the future increases.

What you can do now to prevent your nearsightedness from worsening

A child's eyes are precious.
During childhood, when both the body and eyes are growing, it is important to have regular checkups.
Receiving proper guidance is important.
If you have any concerns about your eyes, consult an ophthalmologist.

Supervision

Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine
Kojimachi Odori Ophthalmology Clinic
Professor Kiwako Mori