More kids and teens are needing glasses, study shows [Video]

More children and teenagers are needing glasses these days, a trend being observed around the world, and researchers think the pandemic might have a role to play.

At Kidoptiks in Snowdon, optician Amanda Garcini has been fitting a lot more children for glasses in recent years.

“Since the pandemic and a few years or so before, because of the new world, we spend a lot of time in front of the screens,” she explained.

It appears to be a global trend. A review of more than 275 studies from around the world concluded more than one third of children and teens have myopia, or nearsightedness, which is three times higher than in 1990.

It also found a particularly steep increase in cases since the start of the pandemic.

One reason is what’s known as “near work” or spending a long time focusing on one spot, like screens, phones, even reading.

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