Book a free consultation
Over 80 million children are affected by the myopia epidemic and the economic cost is estimated at an annual $268 billion worldwide.
What is myopia?
Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is a refractive error in your eye. This means that the eye does not refract light properly to a single focus, which enabled you to see images clearly.
Myopia typically begins in children and you may be more at risk if both your parents are nearsighted.
Symptoms of myopia can include:
- Eye squinting
- Eye strain
- Headaches
- Fatigue feeling when playing sports or driving
With children, the NHS advise to look for these additional symptoms
- Regularly rubbing their eyes
- Sitting close to the T.V.
- Needing to sit near the front of the class at school because of difficulties to see the whiteboard
- Complaints of tired eyes and headaches
From bustling cities of the western world to developing societies in east, this interactive map will reveal the countries that are being swept with an epidemic of myopia and the countries that aren’t.
Find out more below with this infographic showing where the myopia epidemic has the greatest presence!
Sources
NHS
Read more on eye health, laser eye surgery and vision, here
If you are interested in vision correction at Focus Clinic please call us on 0207 307 8250 and book a free consultation.
Book your FREE consultation
The Best of English Views
Here at Focus Clinics, we have collaborated with photographers from all over England to put together a photographic journal that showcases the Best of English Views today; in focus. From Yorkshire to Essex, and Norfolk to Cornwall, we asked each of the photographers to contribute an image of the landscape from their county that they […]
Learn more
Prescription Drugs: What ones are damaging your eyes?
What prescription drugs could be harming our vision? For many years there has been speculation over the side effects of major drugs around the world. Whilst adverse reactions to medical prescription are rare, they can and do appear for some of us, especially when drugs are taken for extended periods of time. The below common […]
Learn more
The epidemic outbreak of Acanthamoeba keratitis
Acanthamoeba keratitis is a rare, but serious vision threatening parasitic infection seen most often in contact lens wearers. First recognised in 1973, Acanthamoeba are naturally occurring amoeba (tiny, one-celled animals) commonly found in water sources, such as tap water, well water, hot tubs, and soil and sewage systems. If these tiny parasites infect the eye, […]
Learn more
The secret superfood that could stop you going blind
We are a nation of coffee drinkers. In fact, in the UK alone we drink approximately 55 million cups of coffee every day. Thousands of studies have looked at coffee use in the past few decades and lately, more and more are reporting the real health benefits for coffee drinkers, from helping prevent diabetes, to […]
Learn more
From poison to potions: the toxins used in medicine that could save your life…
Worldwide, the prevalence of myopia has been rising dramatically, and it is estimated that 2.5 billion people will be affected by myopia by 2020, but a new study offers sufferers hope. News research reveals that atropine, a toxic substance derived from deadly nightshade, can be an effective and sustainable treatment for progressive high myopia in […]
Learn more
Scallops: Not just extraordinary in taste but in vision too
Most of us know scallops for being a tasty dish to order in a restaurant, and maybe some of us even know that they are originally in shells. But these underwater clams are far more interesting than we may have thought, as their extraordinary eyesight continues to amaze scientists. Scallops: What do we know about […]
Learn more
Bionic Lens…you’ve never seen anything like it
We all crave 20/20 vision and envy those that have it, but is it a thing of the past as technology finds something even better with the Bionic Lens? A Canadian company called Ocumetics Technology Corporation are in the stages of clinically testing their Bionic Lens. The device replaces the natural human lens with a […]
Learn more
TV Shows of 2017: What takes the crown as most watched?
With blue Monday just a few days ago and many of us still in the throws of January blues, some of us may be looking back and reflecting on the year just gone. This time of year we see programmes crop up that look back at the highs and lows of 2017, and here at […]
Learn more
Creepy crawlies surprise us with their super vision
It’s not our fly-swatting skills, insects vision is much better than we thought! Ever wondered why the flies stuck in your home seem to be so good at avoiding your deadly swatter or rolled up newspaper? For years, scientists have not been able to answer this question, believing that insects vision was pretty blurry, leaving them […]
Learn more
Dark circles under your eyes. What really causes them?
Dark circles under the eyes have long been associated with being tired, but did you know it is not necessarily a lack of sleep that is responsible? Whilst staying up late and not getting enough sleep does not help the circles around your eyes, there are also other important factors that can affect it. Some […]
Learn more
Remember remember the 5th November, and to protect your eyesight of course
Now Halloween is out the way, we look to the coming weekend to celebrate Guy Fawkes night, commonly known as bonfire or firework night. With shops stocked up full of firecrackers and fountains, it’s easy to forget about the precautions we need to take to protect our vision. Fireworks are a spectacular show, and whilst […]
Learn more
9 Important Signs You Need An Eye Check-up
Typically, optometrists and ophthalmologists recommend that most people go for an eye health check-up at least once every two years. The value of a regularly scheduled eye examination extends far beyond simply identifying a need for vision correction. In fact, periodic check-ups can also be useful in helping to diagnose other common medical conditions, both […]
Learn more
Common Habits That Can Damage Your Eyes
"Don't sit so close to the television...you'll ruin your eyes!" Pretty much all of us will have had this shouted at us as kids! And to be fair to our concerned parents, there used to be some truth in the saying!
Learn more
The new smart glasses: you’ve never seen or heard anything like it
We all know that glasses help us read more easily, but did you know there will soon be smart glasses that can read out loud what’s written in front of us on paper? A new Japanese company called Oton Glass are currently developing a pair of glasses that will be able to convert text into […]
Learn more
What are eye floaters & are they a concern?
Most of us have seen strange shapes floating in our vision from time to time and those tiny spots, specks and flecks that drift aimlessly around our field of vision are otherwise known as floaters. What are floaters? Floaters are caused by small piece of debris that float in the vitreous humour of the eye. […]
Learn more
Eye-Inspired Architecture: The L’Hemisfèric
The L’Hemisfèric is a spectacular building located in Valencia, Spain. Designed by Santiago Calatrava and opened in 1998, this unique piece of architecture is a Planetarium for viewing the night sky and a Laserium to showcase light displays, it also houses an IMAX Cinema. What makes this building unique? It’s shaped like an eye and […]
Learn more
Eyes are a Focus at Glorious Glastonbury
The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is encouraging music lovers to make sure they take care of their eye health and remember to book eye tests by putting their vision to the test. RNIB is the official health charity partner for this year’s iconic Glastonbury Festival, here at Focus we fully support the […]
Learn more
Need an excuse to eat chocolate? It’s good for your eyes
With the Easter weekend only just over, there might be a few of us that are feeling a little guilty about the amount of chocolate we have eaten. But did you know that dark chocolate is actually good for our vision and can protect us from a number of diseases in our eyes? You probably […]
Learn more
West End Star Beverley Knight’s Vision Transformation
There sometimes becomes a time where neither contact lenses nor glasses are suitable for vision correction, as West End star Beverley Knight realised.
Learn more
What are the short- and long-term laser eye surgery effects?
With any surgical procedure, including laser eye surgery, it’s important to address a number of principal issues and questions up front. Is it the right option for you personally? What exactly will the procedure involve? And – most importantly for many people – what can you expect the outcomes to be? What are the laser […]
Learn more
Laser eye surgery (LASIK) 360: The world’s first ever video
Here at Focus Clinic we are proud to share the world’s first LASIK (‘laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis’) eye surgery live video in 360 augmented reality. Performed by our very own Dr David Allamby, this footage is a great way for those thinking of getting laser eye surgery to get an idea of what to expect and […]
Learn more
Glaucoma: A Leading Cause of Blindness
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness throughout the world, especially in older people, with estimates of suspected cases at over 60 million worldwide. What is glaucoma? Glaucoma is an eye condition where the optic nerve, which connects your eye to your brain, becomes damaged, usually as a result of an increased pressure […]
Learn more
Eye tests needed before laser eye surgery
What eye tests are needed before laser eye surgery? You will have a comprehensive set of scans and tests at Focus Clinic before you meet your specialist. These eye tests give a wealth of data on your eye health and vision, and help ensure you are a safe candidate to undergo laser eye surgery. The tests […]
Learn more
Beauty is pain, but is it worth risking your vision?
A 24 year old Canadian model has recently had an eye tattoo which has left her partially blind. And that’s not the only scar of scleral tattoo. Catt Gallinger herself has said that she’s made a ‘massive mistake’ as it affects her mental health. Have body modifications gone one step too far as people begin […]
Learn more
Ocular Health: A Blind Spot in Parliament
At the end of March, the issue of eye health was discussed in parliament – for the first time in nearly seven years. Led by Wealden MP Nusrat Ghani, a parliamentary blind spot was addressed in a 90-minute debate in the House of Commons Chamber. Ms Ghani called for the government to develop and implement […]
Learn more
Are you up to your eyes in it? Here’s how stress can impact your vision
Stress. We all feel it sometimes right? But perhaps you can’t seem to escape it? Whether it is at work, home or school, did you know anxiety can have an impact on your vision too? The Times have recently discussed the negative impact of taking multiple exams over a long period of time on students’ […]
Learn more
Baby vision: The development of sight from birth
Baby vision! Have you ever looked at a baby and wondered what they are seeing, as they look around their new world with curiosity? It turns out that babies ability to see is perhaps not as strong as you thought, with it taking up to two years for their vision to fully develop. Just like […]
Learn more
What is Blepharitis?
Blepharitis becomes especially important when we are looking to perform laser eye surgery, e.g. Z-LASIK. Blepharitis is linked with dryness of the eyes and should be treated before having vision correction, to increase the moisture over the cornea (which does temporarily become drier after treatment). This LASIK post-op dryness recovers within 3-6 months, and is […]
Learn more
Could an iPad game cure lazy eye in children?
We all know that too much iPad use is leading to a number of health issues that could potentially affect our children’s vision – however it’s not all bad news, as research has found an iPad game that can cure lazy eye in children. Lazy eye, also known as Amblyopia, is a condition where the […]
Learn more
Why It Might Be Time For Laser Eye Surgery
Are you fed up with wearing glasses? Do you find contact lenses inconvenient to use in your day-to-day life? Are you over 21, in good health, have healthy eyes and have a stable prescription? If you answered yes to all of the above then it might be time to consider laser eye surgery.
Learn more
