UPC study finds childhood myopia triples between ages 8 and 12

A longitudinal study conducted by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) has found that the prevalence of childhood myopia triples between the ages of 8 and 12. Research from the Visual Health Cohort of Terrassa (CISVIT), which follows over 2,500 children across 16 schools, shows that myopia affects 12.3% of children aged 8 to 9, rising to 28.7% by age 12.

Researchers noted an average progression of 0.29 diopters per year. The study highlights that lifestyle factors, such as increased time spent on screens and near-vision tasks compared to time spent outdoors, are decisive factors in visual health. Additionally, socioeconomic factors play a role, and girls were identified as a group at higher risk due to faster ocular growth.

To improve prevention, project coordinator Laura Guisasola recommends using ocular biometry, specifically measuring axial eye length. This technique allows specialists to anticipate the development of myopia up to two years before it becomes evident in conventional refractive exams. Experts advise increasing outdoor time and monitoring screen use to help mitigate these trends.