Myopia prevalence rises from 12.3% to 28.7%
A longitudinal study by the Vision, Optometry and Health (VOS) research group at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech (UPC) shows that myopia in children nearly triples between the ages of 8 and 12. The research, part of the Terrassa Childhood Visual Health Cohort (CISViT) project, found prevalence rising from 12.3% at age 8 to 28.7% at age 12. Children in this age group experience an average annual increase in refractive error of 0.29 dioptres, a rate that worsens over time. The CISViT project, launched in 2021, has enrolled over 2,500 participants from public and charter schools in Terrassa and is conducted at the University Vision Centre (CUV), the FOOT’s visual health clinic.
Girls and non-Caucasian children at higher risk
The study identified significant differences based on gender and ethnicity. Girls with myopia are a high-risk group due to faster ocular growth progression compared to boys. Non-Caucasian children, primarily of Maghrebi or Latin American origin, have a longer baseline axial length at age 8, though their ocular growth pattern remains similar to that of Caucasian children.
Early diagnosis through axial length monitoring
Researcher Laura Guisasola explained that myopia onset can be anticipated before it appears in a child’s prescription: "It is possible to anticipate myopia onset before it shows in a child’s prescription, as eye elongation, which can be objectively measured, occurs before myopia becomes detectable in refractive error." Key risk indicators include low hyperopia at age 8 (below +0.75 dioptres), longer axial length, and specific biometric proportions. Monitoring axial length growth enables early intervention.
"Childhood myopia is a progressive, multifactorial process influenced by biological, familial, social and lifestyle factors, with risk increasing alongside a family history of myopia and lower parental socioeconomic status.", Laura Guisasola, VOS research group
Preventive measures and public health recommendations
Environmental and behavioural factors play a significant role. Prolonged screen use is a risk factor, while spending more time outdoors and getting sufficient sleep are linked to lower risk. The study estimates that by 2050, nearly half the world’s population will be myopic, with almost one billion affected by high myopia. Núria Vila, director of the CUV in Terrassa and researcher in the same group, stated: "Tools accessible to families and schools to curb this trend can be integrated into public health policies." The research team recommends incorporating paediatric eye screenings into routine check-ups, including ocular growth measurements and lifestyle assessments, to detect risk before myopia develops. The CISViT project is part of the international Consortium of Refractive Error and Myopia in Children (CREAM-Kids), harmonising data across global visual cohorts.
Primary sources: upc.edu, upcommons.upc.edu, foot.upc.edu, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, doo.upc.edu, muei.etseib.masters.upc.edu, recercaterrassa.upc.edu. Reported by diaricatalunya.cat, RUSSPAIN.com, frontiersin.org, journals.plos.org, doi.org, preview-www.nature.com, reviewofmm.com, visionatlas.iapb.org, sciencedaily.com.
