Parents in Singapore started noting a concerning change in their children in the late 1980s and early 1990s: they were growing more shortsighted. The nation’s vision catastrophe could not be stopped. With a myopia prevalence of around 80% among young adults, Singapore has earned the title of “the myopia capital of the world.”

What occurred in Singapore now seems to be happening everywhere. Despite their seemingly disparate lifestyles, countries are united by a single phenomenon: skyrocketing shortsightedness rates. Approximately 40% of adults in the United States are shortsighted, up from 25% in 1971. In Taiwan, mainland China, and South Korea, teen and young adult prevalence rates range from 84% to 97%. By 2050, half of the world’s population will be legally blind if current trends continue. And it appears that the issue is growing more quickly than before. The concept of a shortsighted world might not seem to be a significant issue at first. However, experts warn that myopia is not a normal affliction. For example, it is one of the main reasons for blindness and vision impairment. What caused the current global vision crisis? Education has accidentally made the growth of myopia worse while being a generally beneficial factor in children’s lives. Modern education methods, which place a heavy emphasis on long hours spent in classrooms, appear to be constantly harming children’s eye health.

Ultimately, a child’s vision is a reflection of a much larger picture — their overall health. It’s crucial to take your entire body, as well as your mental health, into account.