There’s a myopia epidemic affecting young people right now and our smartphones are to blame. If you noticed your eyes are getting worse or more and more of your friends need glasses, that’s because of a myopia epidemic that’s affecting young people.
Myopia is the official name for near-sightedness, or when you have trouble seeing distances. The number of cases in North America has more than doubled since 1972.
In most cases, people with myopia are simply stuck wearing glasses or contacts. Myopia can be much more dangerous than that though. As your near-sightedness gets worse, your eye actually stretches, getting longer and your retina gets thinner. This can lead to bleeding and cracks. People with severe near-sightedness could end up spending the rest of their life legally blind. People with myopia are also at risk for major eye disorders like retinal tearing, glaucoma, and cataracts.