http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-02/bhvi-htw021716.php

Public Release: 17-Feb-2016
Half the world to be short-sighted by 2050

One billion high myopes globally by 2050

Brien Holden Vision Institute

5 billion to be short-sighted (myopic) by the year 2050

One in ten at risk of blindness

Myopia to become a leading cause of permanent blindness worldwide

U.S. and Canada - 260 million myopes by 2050, up from 90 million in
2000; 66 million high myopes by 2050, up from 11 million in 2000

Parents advised to have children's eyes checked regularly, improve
time outdoors and moderate time on near based activities including
electronic devices

Sydney, Australia, 17 February 2016: Half the world's population (nearly
5 billion) will be short-sighted (myopic) by 2050, with up to one-fifth
of them (1 billion) at a significantly increased risk of blindness if
current trends continue, says a study published in the journal
Ophthalmology.

The number with vision loss from high myopia is expected to increase
seven-fold from 2000 to 2050, with myopia to become a leading cause of permanent blindness worldwide.

The rapid increase in the prevalence of myopia globally is attributed
to, "environmental factors (nurture), principally lifestyle changes
resulting from a combination of decreased time outdoors and increased
near work activities, among other factors," say the authors from Brien
Holden Vision Institute, University of New South Wales Australia and
Singapore Eye Research Institute.

The findings point to a major public health problem, with the authors suggesting that planning for comprehensive eye care services are needed
to manage the rapid increase in high myopes (a five-fold increase from
2000), along with the development of treatments to control the
progression of myopia and prevent people from becoming highly myopic.

"We also need to ensure our children receive a regular eye examination
from an optometrist or ophthalmologist, preferably each year, so that preventative strategies can be employed if they are at risk," said co-
author Professor Kovin Naidoo, CEO of Brien Holden Vision Institute.
"These strategies may include increased time outdoors and reduced time
spent on near based activities including electronic devices that require constant focussing up close.

"Furthermore there are other options such as specially designed
spectacle lenses and contact lenses or drug interventions but increased investment in research is needed to improve the efficacy and access of
such interventions."

###

View the paper 'Global prevalence of myopia and high myopia and temporal
trends from 2000 through 2050' in Ophthalmology here: http://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420%2816%2900025-7/fulltext

Editor's Notes

Brien Holden Vision Institute is a non-profit global scientific,
research, innovation, education, licensing and public health
organisation. The Institute's mission includes developing new solutions
for vision care, especially refractive error and early disease
detection, and to eliminate vision impairment and avoidable blindness,
thereby reducing disability and poverty. Brien Holden Vision Institute
is a social enterprise, investing the revenues from its work into
creating scientific solutions and developing and delivering eye care and education programs.

Media Contact:

(U.S., U.K. AND EUROPE) Philip Chandrapal: +61 415 214 390 p.chandrapal@brienholdenvision.org

(AUSTRALIA) Stephen Davis: + 61 450 661 695
s.davis@brienholdenvision.org

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