The culprit: too many kids spending too much time looking at screens — TVs, computers, video games, even phones. The problem was exacerbated when Covid hit and kids had to attend school online.
Experts warned that, without a major intervention, half the people in the world will suffer from near-sightedness by 2050.
Public awareness campaigns were launched. In some countries, screen time for children was banned in day care centers and pre-schools. Parents tried to limit their children’s screen time at home. Many encouraged their kids to play outside.
But it didn’t work. The rate of near-sightedness among children only accelerated. Not because of a failure of bans and boundaries. But because kids saw their parents online nearly all the time, and they simply imitated them.
Some myopia is biological. Some is a choice.