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You may or may not have noticed this lately but there has been a significant increase in the number of kids that wear reading glasses. The numbers are definitely on the rise. In the past, needing glasses was more of a genetic condition but now, the number of teenagers and young adults who need glasses has jumped from roughly a quarter to more than 80 percent in just over half a century. Recent pandemic lockdowns seem to have made eyesight among children even worse.
So the question is why? The answer isn't about genetics.
You need only look around to see countless kids absorbed in phones and tablets and laptops. And you wouldn’t be the first to conclude that staring at something inches from your face is bad for distance vision.
Optometrists say they are trying to push better vision habits, such as limiting screen time and playing outside but as you can imagine, the enforcement of that is much easier said than done.
Carolyn McArdle talked about it on the air. Listen below....