Health
COVID lockdowns led to spike in kids’ vision problems, 1 in 3 now nearsighted, study finds
As many as 30% of children and teens across the world were nearsighted in 2023, a new study has revealed.
Diagnoses of nearsightedness (myopia) are expected to worsen over the next two decades, according to the findings, which were published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
By 2050, nearly 740 million young individuals worldwide are expected to have the condition, lead study author Dr. Yajun Chen, a professor at Sun Yat-sen University in China, told Fox News Digital.
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“The study also highlights significant disparities in myopia rates across different regions, suggesting that factors such as gender, ethnicity and culture play a crucial role,” he said.
“Understanding these variations is crucial for tailoring prevention and intervention strategies to specific at-risk populations.”
As many as 30% of children and teens across the world were nearsighted in 2023, a new study has revealed. (iStock)
In the study, researchers analyzed 276 studies that included more than 5.4 million participants from 50 countries across all six continents.
Rates of nearsightedness were highest in East Asia (35.22%), in urban areas (28.55%), among females (33.57%), among adolescents (47%) and among high school students (45.71%), the study found.
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Myopia can progress rapidly during critical growth periods, particularly in children and adolescents, Chen noted.
There was a significant spike in myopia after the COVID-19 pandemic, research has shown.
By 2050, nearly 740 million young individuals worldwide are expected to have myopia, the researchers found. (iStock)
“During the pandemic, many countries implemented nationwide lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus,” he said.
“Prolonged indoor living reduced outdoor activity for children and adolescents while increasing screen time, potentially exacerbating the ocular burden on this population and worsening the myopia crisis.”
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Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, was not involved in the study but commented on the findings.
“Diet may play a role, but I think the greatest reason for the increase, especially coming out of the pandemic, is due to lockdowns and being indoors more,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Untreated myopia can lead to more severe vision problems later in life.”
With increased screen time, kids and teens have fewer opportunities for the eye muscles to have to adapt, Siegel said.
“For example, going back and forth from looking close to looking far, and accommodating to light by going from indoors to outdoors, and talking to people in person — all of those exercise the small eye muscles that keep you from getting nearsighted,” he added.
Warnings of long-term effects
Dr. Jesse Willingham, an optometrist at Brighter Outlook Vision in North Charleston, South Carolina, warned that unaddressed vision problems can have several significant consequences for children, including academic problems, social and emotional struggles, behavioral issues and long-term eye health issues.
I think the greatest reason for the increase, especially coming out of the pandemic, is due to lockdowns and being indoors more,” one medical expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“We all understand that being able to see clearly is important for school, but there are many different visual skills we need for learning,” Willingham, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
“Nearsightedness is the most common developmental vision problem, but early vision problems can start with tracking difficulties, poor ability to adapt the focus of the eyes or use the two eyes as a team, or other functional problems that arise from too much stress on the visual system at an early age,” he added.
Study limitations
The study did have some limitations, Chen acknowledged.
“The major limitation of the included studies is the disparity in the designs and methods utilized,” he said.
Parents should ensure that their children receive regular eye examinations starting at a young age, the researcher recommended. (iStock)
“The quality of included epidemiologic studies varied significantly within and among the reviews, ranging from high to low risk of bias.”
There is also a possibility of “uneven distribution of data” among countries within any given continent, Chen said.
“As a result, our reported findings might be biased because they were mainly influenced by data from a limited number of countries.”
Studies included in the analysis also varied in terms of criteria and procedures for assessing nearsightedness, Chen noted.
Bringing solutions into view
Creating a supportive environment at home and in schools can encourage children to adopt healthy habits that protect their vision, the researchers said.
Unaddressed vision problems can have several significant health consequences for children, a doctor cautioned. (iStock)
Experts offered the following interventions to help reduce the prevalence of myopia among youth.
1. Promote outdoor activities
Families should prioritize outdoor playtime, Chen recommended.
“Schools can organize outdoor activities and encourage sports, creating a culture that values physical engagement and natural light exposure,” he said.
2. Manage screen time
For very young children who haven’t started school yet, Willingham recommends only allowing screen time when video-chatting with friends and family.
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“For school-aged children, matching screen time one-to-one with outdoor time and limiting screen sessions to no more than 20 minutes at a time are good rules of thumb,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Also make sure screen time is done ergonomically, with screens held at least 12 inches away and done while maintaining good posture.”
3. Schedule regular eye exams
Parents should ensure that their children receive regular eye examinations starting at a young age, Chen recommended.
With increased screen time, kids and teens have fewer opportunities for the eye muscles to have to adapt, a doctor noted. (Getty Images)
“Early detection and intervention is crucial, as untreated myopia can lead to more severe vision problems later in life,” he said.
“It’s also beneficial to stay informed about new treatments and technologies aimed at slowing myopia progression, such as specialized contact lenses and eye drops.”
It’s important to choose an eye care provider who understands visual development, according to Willingham.
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“Developmental optometrists have more training and experience in this area, and are typically affiliated with OVDRA, the Optometric Vision Development and Rehabilitation Association,” he said.
“If your child is at high risk of developing nearsightedness or is already nearsighted, consider finding a myopia management specialist through organizations like TreeHouse Eyes.”
4. Participate in community initiatives
Engaging with community programs aimed at preventing myopia, such as vision screening events or educational outreach, can help reduce the prevalence, according to Chen.
“Prolonged indoor living reduced outdoor activity for children and adolescents while increasing screen time, potentially exacerbating the ocular burden on this population and worsening the myopia crisis,” one eye doctor said. (iStock)
Integrating vision education into school curricula and supporting public health campaigns focused on myopia prevention can also be effective, he added.
“By taking these proactive steps, everyone can contribute to reducing the prevalence of myopia and promoting healthier vision for children and adolescents,” Chen said.
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A highly contagious digestive virus is surging across the U.S., experts warn.
Rotavirus, a double-stranded RNA virus, causes acute gastroenteritis — inflammation of the stomach and intestines — which can lead to severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach pain.
The virus primarily affects infants and young children, but there have also been outbreaks in elderly populations, such as nursing homes.
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Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that in the week ending April 4, out of 2,329 rotavirus tests, 7.3% were positive for the infection. Last year’s highest infection rate was 6.77% as of the week ending April 19.
Rotavirus, a double-stranded RNA virus, causes acute gastroenteritis — inflammation of the stomach and intestines — which can lead to severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach pain. (iStock)
“We’re seeing a lot of rotavirus in the wastewater right now,” Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, confirmed to Fox News Digital. “Testing for rotavirus is way down, but the percentage of positive tests is up.”
While the virus typically peaks in the spring, it is not currently slowing down, he noted.
Why cases may be rising
Patricia Pinto-Garcia, M.D., a medical editor at GoodRx who is based in California, said there are several possible reasons for the rotavirus spike.
“Vaccine rates are down overall among young children, as they decreased during COVID,” she told Fox News Digital. “This means there’s a growing number of infants and young children who are vulnerable to infection.”
The rotavirus vaccine series must be completed by the time a child is 8 months old, she noted.
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As a result of the declining vaccinations, herd immunity isn’t protecting vulnerable children, according to Pinto-Garcia. “Children who haven’t finished the vaccine series yet, are too young to get vaccinated, or can’t get the vaccine due to medical illness are more likely to get exposed to the illness because other children aren’t vaccinated,” she said.
Siegel noted that before the vaccine became available, rotavirus resulted in 55,000 to 70,000 in the U.S. per year.
“Vaccine rates are down overall among young children, as they decreased during COVID,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. “This means there’s a growing number of infants and young children who are vulnerable to infection.” (iStock)
“I am concerned that the vaccination rate has been declining over the past seven years and is continuing to decline in the current climate of vaccine skepticism,” he said.
Surveillance methods are also much better than they used to be, Pinto-Garcia noted, which means public health experts are able to pick up and track cases better than ever before.
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“But we see that rotavirus-related healthcare visits are also up, so improved detection is not the only reason we are seeing this spike,” she said.
The COVID pandemic also disrupted the pattern of infections, according to Pinto-Garcia, so it’s “tricky” to compare the current levels against older cycles.
“It’s possible that what we are seeing is still some post-pandemic rebound, but it’s unlikely that this year’s pattern is fully explained by just this factor,” she added.
Transmission and risk
Dr. Zachary Hoy, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Pediatrix Medical Group based in Nashville, Tennessee, often sees young patients with rotavirus.
“Rotavirus is spread via the fecal-oral route, meaning that a person comes into contact with virus droplets from contact with other children or adults, or from contact with objects such as toys that have been contaminated with the virus from someone who is sick,” he told Fox News Digital. “This can lead to outbreaks, especially at schools where many young children share the same toys.”
“It’s possible that what we are seeing is still some post-pandemic rebound, but it’s unlikely that this year’s pattern is fully explained by just this factor.”
Rotavirus is associated with many dehydration cases in the hospital due to the degree of diarrhea, according to Hoy.
In some severe cases, the virus can lead to seizures due to electrolyte imbalances from dehydration and loss of electrolytes in the stool.
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“Younger children do not have the reserves that older children and adults have, so they can become more dehydrated quicker and develop more severe electrolyte imbalances, leading to more severe infections,” Hoy said.
“Patients with problems with their immune systems or on medications that can decrease their immune systems can have more severe and prolonged infections, too.”
Treatment and care
Because rotavirus is a viral infection, antibiotics are not effective against it. There is no specific antiviral treatment for the condition, with doctors typically recommending supportive care.
“The mainstay of treatment is hospitalization for rehydration via intravenous (IV) fluids,” Hoy told Fox News Digital. “Sometimes it can take up to two to three days of IV fluids to help get patients rehydrated.”
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Blood draws are often necessary to evaluate patients’ electrolyte levels, such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium, according to the doctor.
“If these electrolyte levels are significantly low, sometimes patients need special IV solutions or individual electrolyte medications,” he added.
“The mainstay of treatment is hospitalization for rehydration via intravenous (IV) fluids,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
Dr. Daniel Park, medical director of the Pediatric Emergency Department at UNC Health in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, noted that most children recover with supportive care, but parents should seek medical attention if a child shows signs of dehydration. Those include decreased urination, lethargy or inability to keep fluids down.
“While rare, rotavirus can be life-threatening in vulnerable populations, especially very young infants or children with underlying medical conditions,” Park told Fox News Digital.
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Prevention strategies
Given the lack of antiviral medications for rotavirus, doctors emphasize the importance of prevention, primarily the vaccine.
There are two rotavirus vaccines – Rotateq (a three-dose series) and Rotarix (a two-dose series). They are given starting at age 2 months as oral drops, not injections, according to Hoy.
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“It’s important to get the rotavirus vaccines on schedule, because these younger infants are at greatest risk if they get rotavirus,” he advised.
Other recommended prevention methods include handwashing with soap and water.
Every day we’re faced with a zillion small choices: Go to sleep early, or watch one more episode of that Netflix drama. Call an old friend to catch up, or cruise social media. Of course, no single action will guarantee a long, healthy life or doom you to an early grave. But those little daily decisions do add up, and over the long term they can make a difference when it comes to both your longevity and your health span, the amount of life spent in relatively good health.
Scroll through this theoretical “day in the life” and select the option that best fits your typical day. Not every situation will apply perfectly, but think about which choice you’d be most likely to make. This isn’t a formal scientific assessment. The goal here isn’t to assign you a “good” or “bad” score, but to help you understand the central factors that shape the way we age and how long we live.
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A study from Harvard Medical School indicates natural selection has favored the red hair gene, resulting in a potential increase in the number of redheaded people as humanity continues to evolve.
By analyzing nearly 16,000 ancient genomes spanning 10,000 years, researchers identified a list of traits that nature is actively pushing forward. Among the most prominent were the genetic variants for red hair.
“Perhaps having red hair was beneficial 4,000 years ago, or perhaps it came along for the ride with a more important trait,” the authors noted.
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The study, published in the journal Nature, relied on a large database of ancient DNA from West Eurasia. Using new computing methods, the team was able to filter out random fluctuations in DNA to identify what it called “directional selection.”
Directional selection happens when a particular version of a gene gives an organism a strong survival or reproductive advantage, causing it to become more common in a population faster than it would by chance, according to experts.
Directional selection is when a specific gene provides such significant benefits that it rises in frequency across a population much faster than random chance. (iStock)
Prior to this study, scientists only knew of about 21 such instances in human history, one of which was lactose tolerance. This new research uncovered hundreds more.
“With these new techniques and a large amount of ancient genomic data, we can now watch how selection shaped biology in real time,” Ali Akbari, first author of the study and senior staff scientist in the lab of Harvard geneticist David Reich, said in a press release.
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The data showed that genetic markers for red hair are among 479 gene variants that have been strongly favored over the past 10,000 years. One likely explanation, the researchers said, is a major shift in human history: the transition to farming.
Scientists have long pointed to vitamin D synthesis as a likely driver for the rise of traits like fair skin and light hair. (iStock)
As humans moved away from hunting and gathering and settled into agricultural societies, their environment and behavior changed radically, triggering an evolutionary “acceleration.”
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While the Harvard study provides the first definitive statistical proof that red hair was actively selected during the rise of farming, the researchers noted that the exact prehistoric benefit still requires more study.
However, scientists have long pointed to vitamin D synthesis as a likely driver for the rise of these light-pigmented traits in northern climates.
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While redheads remain a minority of the global population today, the Harvard study’s analysis suggests that they may not be an evolutionary accident.
While redheads remain a minority of the global population today, the Harvard study’s analysis suggests they may not be an evolutionary accident. (iStock)
Instead, the red hair trait was “boosted” by natural selection as humans adapted to the challenges of a modern world, according to the researchers.
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The researchers urged caution in how these findings are interpreted.
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“What a variant is associated with now is not necessarily why an allele propagated,” the authors noted.
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