Preventing childhood myopia before the first pair of glasses
China Daily
12th November 2026
Preventing childhood myopia before the first pair of glasses
By Hua Xia
When a child starts squinting at the blackboard, holds books unusually close when reading or watches TV from very near, this may signal the onset of myopia. A visit to an eye doctor follows, resulting in a prescription and a pair of glasses.
For many parents, this seems to settle the matter. But the reality is often more complex.
The prevalence of myopia among Chinese students has been quite high, but in recent years China has made steady progress in addressing this problem.
The overall myopia rate declined from 53.6 percent in 2018 to 49.9 percent in 2025, marking five consecutive years of decline.
The progress is encouraging, but a lower prevalence rate should not lead to complacency. Myopia is a visible problem, but its underlying causes are often misunderstood. We notice the blurred vision, but do not see the gradual changes taking place inside the eye.
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