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Researchers in a new report in the journal Opthalmology that by 2050, half of the world's population will short-sighted. The medical term for this condition myopia. It is also as near-sightedness. It is when we difficulty focusing on objects that far away from us. The researchers say that around 4.8 billion people will from myopia. This is a seven-fold increase in cases from 2000 to 2050. Sixty years ago, around 15 per cent of the Chinese population was short-sighted. Now, almost 90 per cent of Chinese teenagers and young adults trouble seeing faraway objects. A recent survey that up to 95 per cent of teenagers in South Korea are near-sighted.

The researchers said they could not definite reasons for this phenomenon and say it could a combination of factors. They did that looking at computer screens and mobile phones could a leading cause. Researchers the sudden rise in myopia may be linked to "lifestyle changes from a combination of decreased time outdoors and increased near-work activities". Science journalist Sarah Zhang said, "spending time outdoors, especially in early childhood, the onset of myopia". Professor Kovin Naidoo, a co-author of the report, some advice. He : "You could a long time reading computers and screens, but also spend two hours outdoors."