Myopia Emerging As Serious Problem Among Children In India, Experts Urge Lifestyle Changes
Ophthalmologists call for early detection, lifestyle modifications, and collaborative action to protect children’s vision, report ETV Bharat’s Gautam Debroy.
Published : May 19, 2026 at 5:16 PM IST
New Delhi: Following the alarming rise in childhood myopia in India, renowned ophthalmologists have cautioned that lifestyle changes, prolonged screen exposure, increasing academic pressure and reduced outdoor activity have further worsened the situation.
The All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) has launched a pan India survey in 60 districts across the country to determine the region specific prevalence of myopia.
“Yes, we have started the first ever pan India survey to ascertain the prevalence and magnitude of myopia among children. Once the survey is completed, we will examine the facts and accordingly provide suggestions to the Union Health Ministry,” said Dr Rohit Saxena, Senior Pediatric Ophthalmologist-RPC Singh AIIMS, New Delhi & Program Director – Myopia Guideline 2.0.
What Is Myopia?
“Myopia is not just a simple inconvenience corrected by standard lenses but can lead to irreversible blindness. Severe myopia alters the physical structure of the eye by permanently stretching the eyeball increasing the lifelong risk of severe blinding ocular conditions like retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataract and macular degeneration,” said Dr Saxena.
Uncorrected myopia prevents a child from seeing clearly and adversely affects the child’s education, ability to learn and enjoy games and participate in sports safely.
With the existing trend of prevalence of myopia amongst 7.5 percent children aged between 5-15, the trend is witnessing an upward direction in India. Myopia prevalence in urban India has been projected to spike to 48 percent by 2050.
“Childhood myopia is no longer just about children needing spectacles earlier in life; it is increasingly becoming a serious long-term eye health concern. High myopia can permanently alter the structure of the eye and significantly increase the risk of retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataract and irreversible vision loss later in life. Unfortunately, many children fail to report blurred vision because they do not realise what normal sight should feel like. Parents, teachers and caregivers must become more observant of behavioural signs and prioritise regular eye examinations to ensure timely intervention,” Dr Jeewan Singh Titiyal, president of All India Ophthalmological Society told ETV Bharat.
Warning Signs In A Child
Experts attribute the surge in childhood myopia to lifestyle changes accelerated over recent years, including prolonged screen exposure, increasing academic pressure, reduced outdoor activity, and extended periods of near work. The transition toward digital learning environments has further contributed to children spending four to six hours or more daily on screens, often with inadequate visual hygiene practices.
According to Dr Saxena, squeezing the eyes (squinting) to see distant objects, sitting close to screens, holding books too close, frequent headaches, eye rubbing, blurring of vision, poor classroom performance, copying incorrectly from the blackboard and lack of interest in studies are some of the major signs of childhood myopia.
“Uncorrected refractive errors are the leading cause of avoidable visual impairment among children globally. In India, many children receive their first eye check-up only after symptoms worsen,” said Saxena.
What Can Be Done?
Dr Namrata Sharma, chairman, Scientific Committee of the All India Ophthalmological Society said, “The prevention and management of childhood myopia require a shift from reactive treatment to proactive prevention. Environmental factors such as prolonged near work, excessive digital exposure and reduced outdoor time are modifiable risks that demand immediate societal attention.”
According to Dr Sharma, “Our consensus guidelines provide a structured roadmap for ophthalmologists and stakeholders to implement evidence-based interventions, improve awareness, and encourage timely diagnosis. While anti-myopia therapies may slow progression, prevention through lifestyle modification remains the most powerful strategy.”
The recent surge of childhood myopia cases can be attributed to factors such increasing academic pressure, digital devices use and preference for indoor activities, which have all been aggravated due to the changes in lifestyle after the COVID-19 lockdown. There is now a shift from conventional schooling to online classes and a screen time of at least four to six hours along with decreased outdoor time.
“Educating parents and schoolteachers regarding these modifiable environmental factors is important to prevent such lifestyles from becoming the new normal and norm. Annual eye examinations, school screenings, and paying attention to behavioural changes can help parents identify problems early,” said Saxena.
He said that combating this shift requires immediate societal adjustments, reshaping school environments to prioritise daylight exposure, reducing prolonged near-work strain, and mandating early clinical eye examinations with basic, letter-chart school screenings.
“Children rarely report blurry vision because they lack a baseline for what “perfect” sight looks like. Parents and teachers must actively look for behavioural cues before irreversible elongation occurs,” he said.
Although there is a tendency for myopia to be heritable, there are a variety of environmental influences which can be modified to prevent development and progression of myopia.
According to Dr Saxena, although the rising academic pressure and shift to online classes make long hours of near work unavoidable, children should be encouraged to take frequent breaks while using digital screen devices and lessen the avoidable screen time like playing video games or social media as much as possible.
“In addition, it is essential to maintain a good one arm distance from the screen while reading and work in adequate lighting conditions. Teachers and parents should encourage children to engage in outdoor activities in natural light for at least two hours a day,” he said.
There are also a variety of myopia control interventions available which may help control myopia. “Atropine drops, special myopia control spectacles, orthokeratology and soft multifocal contact lenses are available. However, they are not without side effects. Your ophthalmologist will help you decide which treatment will work for your child the most and also explain how to minimise the associated side effects. Another thing to be kept in mind is that the available anti-myopia therapy can slow the progression but cannot stop it completely,” Dr Saxena stated.
Prevention, Management of Childhood Myopia
The All India Ophthalmological Society has come out with a “Prevention and Management of Childhood Myopia 2.0 aiming to equip ophthalmologists, parents, educators, and healthcare professionals with evidence-based recommendations to address the growing burden of myopia among children.
The initiative comes amid increasing concerns that childhood myopia is emerging as a major public health challenge. Recent estimates suggest that by 2050, nearly half of the global population may be affected by myopia.
In India, prevalence rates among school-going children have risen sharply over the years, with urban studies indicating nearly 14 percent prevalence, while rural regions have witnessed a rise from 4.6 percent to 6.8 percent over the past decade.
According to a finding from school screenings across 13 cities and 12 states, approximately 13.6 percent of screened children were affected by myopia and 27 percent had abnormal vision requiring attention.
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