Why more kids today are nearsighted

Posted on August 7, 2025 in Healthy You

August is Children's Eye Health and Safety Month. One of the more common vision conditions kids face is myopia, better known as nearsightedness. Myopia causes distant objects to appear blurry while close objects are clear. Although it’s a common childhood eye condition today, it wasn’t always that way. 

Researchers have looked at nearsighted rates in children and have made an interesting discovery: There’s been a sharp increase in kids developing myopia over the past few decades. So, why is myopia on the rise, and what can parents do?

Myopia rates have skyrocketed since 1990

The British Journal of Ophthalmology published a study that reviewed the results of 276 global studies on myopia from 1990 to 2023, and found that a third of young people have nearsightedness today — that’s triple what it was in 1990.¹

Experts believe the modern lifestyle is largely to blame for the increase in nearsighted kids. Children today spend more time indoors staring at screens, such as TVs, tablets, computers and phones, and less time playing outside.

Your eyes work harder when you’re doing close-up tasks like reading, drawing and looking at screens. When your eyes work hard, it can lead to eye strain and may cause the eyeball to lengthen (a physical cause of myopia).

What happens when myopia is left unchecked

Without proper treatment, nearsightedness can cause problems for kids. For example: When a child can’t read the whiteboard at school, they can fall behind. If the condition progresses to a severe stage, it can increase your child’s chances of developing other serious eye disorders later in life.

Fortunately, mild myopia can usually be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. That's why early detection and treatment are important.

What parents can do

The good news is that parents help reduce the risk or slow the worsening of nearsightedness in kids. Here are some simple steps that will go a long way toward protecting your children’s eyes:

• Watch out for myopia symptoms: If your child complains of headaches, squints when they’re looking at something, holds objects close to their face or frequently rubs their eyes, your child may have nearsightedness. Schedule an eye exam if you notice any of these symptoms in your child.
• Encourage outdoor play: Natural light and looking at objects in the distance help the eyes develop properly, so aim to get your kids outside to play each day.
• Limit screen time: Keep tabs on how much your child is focused on a screen. Also, follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, have your child look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This simple strategy will help prevent eye strain.
• Get regular eye exams: Children should have their first comprehensive eye exam at 6 months, again at age 3, and before starting school.² Your eye care specialist will recommend a specific schedule for your child’s follow-up visits.

See clearly with DeltaVision

Myopia may be common nowadays, but early detection and healthy habits make it manageable. Talk to your child’s eye doctor if you have concerns about their vision. A few small changes now could mean a lifetime of better eye health.

If you need to find a new eye care specialist for your family, check out the DeltaVision online Find a Provider tool. Here, you’ll be able to access a list of nearby, in-network vision professionals who can help you and your children see clearly for years to come.

REFERENCES:

British Journal of Opthalmology

American Optometric Association

SOURCES:

UCLA Health

Optometrists Network

Oregon Health & Science University

The Guardian