Prevalence of Myopia in India
The overall prevalence of myopia in Indian school children (ages 5-15 years) is 7.5%, with significantly higher rates in urban areas (8.5%) compared to rural areas (6.1%), and the prevalence is rapidly increasing, particularly in the last decade. 1
Overall Prevalence
A comprehensive meta-analysis of four decades of data (1980-2020) covering nearly 286,000 children established that myopia affects 7.5% (95% CI: 6.5-8.5%) of Indian school children aged 5-15 years. 1 However, more recent individual studies from 2019-2022 show considerably higher rates in specific populations, suggesting the epidemic is accelerating faster than historical averages indicate.
Urban vs Rural Distribution
- Urban children: 8.5% prevalence (95% CI: 7.1-9.9%), with the highest rates in the 11-15 year age group reaching 15.0% in the last decade 1
- Rural children: 6.1% prevalence (95% CI: 4.5-7.7%), though this increased significantly from 4.6% to 6.8% in the last decade, reflecting changing rural environments 1
- A 2022 rural study in Haryana found 6.4% prevalence overall, but notably 10.1% in private rural schools versus only 1.4% in government schools 2
Age-Specific Patterns
The prevalence increases substantially with age:
- Younger children (5-8 years): Lower baseline prevalence 1
- Older children (9-15 years): Prevalence reaches 27% (95% CI: 23-30.6%) in the 9-12 year age group, with an odds ratio of 3.19 (2.13-4.76) compared to younger children 3
- Adolescents (11-15 years): Urban prevalence peaks at 15.0% 1
A specific study in North India (Gurugram) found an overall prevalence of 21.1% in school children aged 5-15 years, with mean myopic error of -1.94 ± 0.92 D. 3
Recent Trends and Future Projections
The myopia epidemic in India is accelerating dramatically:
- Urban prevalence increased from 4.44% in 1999 to 21.15% in 2019 4
- The rate is increasing by approximately 0.8% annually (4.05% every 5 years) 4
- Projected prevalence estimates: 31.89% by 2030,40.01% by 2040, and 48.14% by 2050 in urban children aged 5-15 years 4
- Due to generational effects (myopia persisting lifelong), there will be an overall increase of 10.53% across all age groups over the next three decades (2020-2050) 4
Gender Differences
- Boys show 25% prevalence in some urban studies (95% CI: 21.1-28.8) 3
- Girls demonstrate slightly higher prevalence at 7.2% versus 5.8% in boys in rural areas, though this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.2786) 2
- An older study from Kashmir found girls had 1.52 times higher odds of myopia compared to boys 5
Key Risk Factors Identified
Behavioral factors strongly associated with myopia:
- Studying more than 4 hours per day (p<0.008) 3
- Playing computer/video/mobile games more than 2 hours per day (p<0.001) 3
- Attending private schools (OR significant at p=0.016) 2
- Protective factor: Outdoor activities/play for more than 1.5 hours per day shows dramatic protection (OR: 0.01,95% CI: 0.00-0.06) 3, with inverse association confirmed (p=0.009) 2