Increase in Myopia Seen in U.K. in Prior Decades

Article: Rates of short-sightedness increasing in the UK
Source: University College London (U.K.)
Published: January 20, 2022
Article: We're Facing a Myopia 'Epidemic', Scientists Say. Here's Why
Source: ScienceAlert
Published: January 20, 2022
Article: UK rates of nearsightedness have increased significantly over time
Source: Medical XPress
Published: January 19, 2022

Termed the "myopia epidemic," countries around the world have noticed an increase in both the prevalence and severity of nearsightedness (shortsightedness) among their populations, especially among youth. Researchers in the U.K. looking at Biobank data of individuals born between 1939 and 1970 have also noted an increase in myopia in more recent decades, that is, a higher rate of myopia within their younger populations. In particular, the study analyzed data from 107,442 people and found that while 20% of people born between 1939 and 1944 were nearsighted, that rate increased to 29% among people born between 1965 and 1970. The researchers hypothesize an environmental factor to the rapid increase in the rate of myopia, or perhaps gene-environment interactions, since genes in themselves do not change that quickly. In studying the trend of myopia from the U.K. Biobank data, the investigators show that the increase in the prevalence of myopia is not limited to the past decade. The team also looked at demographic correlations and found a link between higher levels of educational attainment/intensity and nearsightedness, with the link becoming stronger over time. The investigators note that analyzing the difference between childhood-onset and adult-onset myopia would reveal more nuanced data, such as the effect of genes vs. environment; however, the findings did not point to a result consistent with that hypothesis, pointing instead to peak adult-onset myopia in a younger cohort. The authors stress the importance of awareness of myopia risk factors and preventative measures, especially as they correlate with educational intensity and could increase risk of ocular diseases (such as myopic degeneration and retinal detachment) if unchecked, and note that plateauing of myopia frequency points to the potential of effective intervention.

My rating of this study: ⭐⭐

Cumberland PM, Bountziouka V, Hammond CJ, et al. "Temporal trends in frequency, type and severity of myopia and associations with key environmental risk factors in the UK: Findings from the UK Biobank Study." PLOS ONE.  19 January 2022. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260993