19 out of every 20 teenagers are myopic in Japan

New research has highlighted high rates of myopia among Japanese young people.

The study, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, involved 1478 school children in Tokyo, Japan.

The prevalence of short-sightedness was 76.5% among those aged six to 11 and 94.9% among those aged 12 to 14.

The prevalence of high myopia, with an axial length of 26mm or longer, was 15.2% among the older age group.

Researchers highlighted that previous analysis has found a connection between higher amounts of time spent on near-vision tasks and the development of myopia.

A link has also been made between time spent outdoors and the suppression of myopia.

The study shows an increase in the prevalence of myopia among Japanese young people when compared to previous research carried out in 1977.

The earlier Japanese study reported that the prevalence of myopia was 12.5% among those aged six to 11 and 37.6% among school children between the ages of 12 and 14.

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