A report by Scrivens Opticians has found that the proportion of 13 to 16-year-olds requiring glasses has nearly doubled since 2012.

In 2012, 20% of people in their early teens required glasses, but this number had risen to 35% in 2018 even though sight test numbers had remained the same. Of those 13-16 year-olds with a prescription, two-thirds are short-sighted. This is in line with a global trend that has seen the diagnosis of myopia (short-sightedness) double in a single generation.

Researchers from the World Health Organisation predict that by 2050, half of the population will be myopic, including 60 million children under 17 years old.

The report; Sound Insight Report 2019, written about the nation’s attitudes to children’s eyecare, has indicated that too much screen time could be one of the reasons to blame for the dramatic increase.

Looking at screens for prolonged lengths of time can lead to eye strain, which in turn can cause blurred vision. The report highlighted that teens spend an average of 26 hours a week looking at digital screens, with half of parents attempting to curb that number amid fears it has a negative impact on their children’s vision.

Sources:

1. Number of teenagers requiring spectacles increases.

2. Sound insight report 2019.