![Pooled prevalence of myopia [(near-sightedness)] in Europe by country. Countries shown in grey were not included in the meta-analysis due to lack of eligible prevalence data](https://lemmy.ca/pictrs/image/c3ac4ebc-77d7-4b38-8bd3-b65d84f2517a.jpeg){kind=link}
See the study here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(25)00111-5/fulltext
May 22, 2025 | Open access
Prevalence of myopia in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis of data from 14 countries
Although myopia prevalence increased in East Asian countries, the burden of myopia in Europe is less known. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the prevalence of myopia in Europe and at the country level.
We screened 2074 records and included 22 studies (from 14 European countries; n = 128,012) in the meta-analyses. The pooled prevalence of myopia was 23.5% (95% CI: 18.5–29.3; I2 = 99.7%), ranging from 11.9% in Finland to 49.7% in Sweden. In cycloplegic studies, myopia prevalence was 18.9% (95% CI: 13.2–26.5%; I2 = 99.7%) vs. 31.2% (95% CI: 24.9–38.3%; I2 = 99.3%) in non-cycloplegic studies. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses exploring sources of heterogeneity showed a lower prevalence in children (6–11 years; 5.5%) compared with adolescents (12–17 years; 25.2%) and adults (18–39 years; 24.3%) in cycloplegic studies. No significant differences in prevalence were observed between sexes. Myopia prevalence increased significantly between 2000–2010 and 2011–2022 (p = 0.040), although age-specific trends remained stable.
Could it be related to maybe chemical fumes in flooring? For example formaldehyde vapor will immediately harden gelatin in photographic processes. Or maybe stuff we are touching like silicones in new plastic products? BPA in the water? PTFE and other plastic residues in food? House paint? Photography flash during baby photos? A flash produces strong UV light which can harden gel. Or maybe the cells get trained to focus on UV instead of visible? There’s gotta be something!