Parents in Singapore started noticing a change in their children in the late 1980s and early 1990s: they were becoming more shortsighted. Singapore is known as “the myopia capital of the world,” with its high case of shortsightedness among young adults at almost 80%.

Although countries have different ways of life, all are connected by the fast-growing cases of shortsightedness. About 40% of adults in the United States are shortsighted, up from 25% in 1971. In Taiwan, mainland China, and South Korea, the rates for teenagers and young adults range from 84% to 97%. If this continues, half of the world’s population will be legally blind by 2050. Why is there a global vision crisis now? Education has unintentionally made shortsightedness worse, even though it’s beneficial for children’s lives. Traditional educational methods, which mainly include long hours spent in classrooms, appear to be continuously harmful to children’s eye health.

In the end, a child’s vision is part of their overall health. It’s important to take care of your entire body and your mental health, not just your eyes.