Global prevalence of myopia Myopia and high myopia were estimated to affect 27% (1893 million) and 2.8% (170 million) of the world population, respectively, in 2010. According to published studies, the prevalence of myopia is highest in east Asia, where China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Singapore have a prevalence of approximately 50%, and lower in Australia, Europe and north and south America (2). Preliminary projections based on these prevalence data and the corresponding United Nations population figures (12), and accounting for the effects of age and time, indicate that myopia and high myopia will affect 52% (4949 million) and 10.0% (925 million), respectively, of the world’s population by 2050 (2) (Figs. 1 and 2). Fig. 1. Numbers of cases (blue) and prevalence (red) of myopia worldwide between 2000 and 2050 Results: Myopia - Now and in 2050 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Myopia prevalence (%) 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 Numbers of myopes (Millions) 2000 22% 2
Myopia refers to nearsightedness. People with myopia are unable to see objects that are far away. People with severe myopia may struggle to see anything beyond a foot or even a foot away from their face. Often people develop high myopia in early childhood and this gets worse progressively. Severe myopia in itself does not lead to loss of vision but it puts people at the risk of developing eye problems like cataracts , retinal detachment and glaucoma. Regular eye check-up It’s very important for people with severe myopia to have routine eye exams and look for signs of vision-threatening eye conditions like retinal detachment and glaucoma. Consult some of the best eye doctors in Kolkata at Disha Eye Hospitals. The Disha Eye Hospital Barrackpore contact number is (033) 66360000. You can also consult the eye doctors online. What causes myopia The structure of the eyes is responsible for myopia. When the cornea is too curved, the light that enters the eye cannot focus correctly. This caus