A recent survey conducted by the Japanese Ministry of Education revealed that over 70% of high school students have vision below 1.0, which is the highest rate recorded to date. This troubling trend is not limited to high schoolers; junior high and elementary school students are also showing increased rates of poor vision. Experts suggest that the rise in near-vision activities, particularly screen time from a young age, is contributing to these issues.

The annual health survey aims to monitor the growth and health status of children aged 5 to 17 years across various educational settings, including kindergartens and schools. With the data indicating that nearly 60% of junior high school students and almost 40% of elementary school students also have vision issues, concerns about children's eye health continue to grow. The results from this year's study are particularly alarming, as they follow a trend of worsening vision among youth.

In response to these findings, organizations such as the Japan Pediatric Society have issued guidelines suggesting that children under the age of two should limit their exposure to screens. However, there have been increasing cases where even infants are exposed to screens, which may further exacerbate this trend of declining vision among Japan's youth. This situation raises significant public health concerns about the long-term impacts on children's overall health and education capabilities.