According to a recent extensive study, the cases of nearsightedness are on a rapid rise across the US. For the sake of study, researchers looked into a large-scale health survey which rated vision in the population starting from the early 1970s to about up-to 30 years. Vision information for more than 4,400 people, tested in 1971 and 1972, was compared with another set of data collected from 8,300 people from 1999 to 2004.

After analysis of the data, the researchers revealed that about 25% of the people tested in the early 1970s were nearsighted, as compared to the 42% that were examined about 3 decades later. An increase of 66% in the cases of Myopia has been recorded.

"The prevalence of myopia for individuals aged 12 to 54 years was statistically significantly higher in 1999 to 2004 than in 1971 to 1972 (41.6 percent vs. 25 percent, respectively). "Prevalence estimates were higher in 1999 to 2004 than in 1971 to 1972 for black individuals (33.5 percent vs. 13 percent, respectively) and white individuals (43 percent vs. 26.3 percent, respectively) and for all levels of myopia severity", the study, led by Dr. Susan Vitale, noted.

Details of the study have been reported in the December Archives of Ophthalmology.