Excessive screen use and few hours of sleep and outdoor time, along with other factors such as hereditary ones, are turning myopia into one of the refractive defects that most frequently affect adolescents and young people. In fact, a study by the Faculty of Optics and Optometry of Terrassa at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) points out that childhood myopia almost triples between the ages of 8 and 12. The Childhood Visual Health Cohort of Terrassa (CISViT) research project, developed by the Vision, Optometry and Health (VOS) research group of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia - BarcelonaTech (UPC), linked to the Faculty of Optics and Optometry of Terrassa (FOOT), reveals unprecedented longitudinal data on the child population of southern Europe. Initiated in 2021, the project currently has more than 2,500 participants.

Thanks to refractive surgery, it is now possible to reduce dependence on glasses and contact lenses and regain freedom to drive, read, or play sports without limitations. It is a safe and effective option, backed by the experience of specialists. Dr. Daniel Elies, medical director and expert in refractive surgery at IMO Grup Miranza Barcelona, explains the latest advances in surgical techniques.

Myopia has skyrocketed in recent decades and has become a global problem. Around the year 2000, it affected approximately 23% of the world's population, but projections indicate that by 2050 almost half of humanity could be myopic. In any case, this rapid increase in myopia may have more to do with how we use our eyes indoors than with screen use. This is according to a study by [the relevant organization/institution]. SUNY College of OptometryPublished in the journal Cell Reports. Specifically, the researchers explain that looking very closely in low-light environments causes the retina to receive less stimulation, which could contribute to myopia.

Myopia, astigmatism, and hyperopia are very common eye problems among the population and are usually diagnosed in childhood. In fact, one in five school-aged children requires vision correction. According to the ophthalmology department at San Juan de Dios Hospital, a child should have their first eye exam at age 3 and this exam should be repeated every year or, at most, every two years. "Early detection and treatment of vision problems can prevent the progression of vision loss and prevent disease," the ophthalmologists at San Juan de Dios explain.

When Rosa first opened her eyes the day after her nearsightedness surgery, she couldn't believe she could see the numbers on her alarm clock perfectly clearly. She was 32 at the time, and she hadn't been able to see anything without glasses for 26 years. "When I went to the beach and got into the water, I had to have a visual reference. A red umbrella and a blue one next to it. And when I got out of the water, I had to look for a red spot and a blue one," explains this journalist, illustrating what life is like with ten diopters.