We’ve known for years now that rates of short-sightedness (scientifically known as myopia) are rising globally. Some estimates even suggest that half of the world’s population will be short-sighted by 2050. In the UK and Europe alone, rates of short-sightedness have doubled in the last 50 years.
But we still aren’t completely sure why these rates are rising so significantly – and who might be most at risk. This is what a recent study set out to understand. Looking at data from 107,442 participants aged 40-69, the researchers confirmed that rates of myopia have increased significantly in the UK in all age groups – and showed that education level and ethnicity may also be linked to greater risk.
