Children are developing nearsightedness at younger ages, a trend that eye specialists warn could leave more people vulnerable to serious vision problems later in life. At UC Berkeley’s Myopia Control Clinic, founder Dr. Maria Liu said patients who are 3 or 4 years old are now common. When the clinic opened in 2013, a diagnosis at 6 or 7 was considered early.
The increase extends worldwide. A review of hundreds of scientific papers covering 50 countries found that myopia affected 24.3% of children and adolescents in 1990 and 35.8% in 2023. That proportion is projected to reach 39.8% by 2050. Across all ages, half the global population could be nearsighted by then, with nearly 10% facing severe eye disease and vision loss.
Myopia involves an elongation of the eyeball that can leave its tissues vulnerable over time. Associated problems include retinal tears, macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma. Earlier onset allows the condition to advance more quickly during childhood, increasing lifetime risks. Headaches, learning difficulties and the expense of corrective lenses can be immediate concerns, but specialists are particularly worried about complications decades later.
Genetics plays a substantial role, but doctors say it cannot explain the speed of the increase. They point to children spending more time focused on nearby objects and less time outside. Reading and other close-up activities were linked to nearsightedness long before smartphones became common. Computers, tablets and phones have greatly expanded the time children spend looking at surfaces within arm’s reach.
Outdoor time appears to be equally important, although researchers understand its protective effects less clearly. One theory is that sunlight triggers dopamine release, restraining the eye’s growth. The International Myopia Institute recommends 80 to 120 minutes outside daily for school-age children. Liu said animal research suggests that outdoor periods after close-up activities could be particularly helpful, and several outings lasting at least 30 minutes may offer more benefit than one extended trip.
Breaks from screens may also need to last longer for children than for adults. The American Optometric Assn. advises adults to ease eye strain by looking 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. UC Berkeley’s clinic recommends breaks of at least five minutes for children, giving growing eye tissues more time to return to their baseline state.
Although myopia cannot be reversed, treatments may slow its progression. Research indicates that low-dose atropine eye drops can significantly reduce its advance in children. In 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed EssilorLuxottica to market Stellest eyeglasses, which correct vision and help prevent childhood myopia progression.
Researchers are also gathering more detailed evidence about children’s visual surroundings. Dr. Elise Harb, a clinical professor at UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco, is preparing a three-year international study funded by the American Academy of Optometry Foundation. It will follow children in the United States, Norway, Singapore and Australia to investigate factors involved in myopia’s development and progression.
One participant in an ongoing study from Harb’s lab is Viva, whose difficulty seeing a classroom board emerged at age 8. Now 13, she continues sports, theater and horseback riding while using glasses and contacts. For four weeks, she wore sensor-equipped glasses that measured light and the proximity of objects, contributing data her mother, Cassia van der Hoof Holstein, hopes will help other children.
