2050年世界半数人口将是近视眼

By 2050, half of the world’s population (nearly 5 billion) will be short-sighted, research suggests, and screens are to blame.
研究显示，到2050年，世界上的半数人口（近50亿人）将是近视眼。而各种屏幕正是这一趋势的“罪魁祸首”。

Up to one-fifth of the short-sighted population (1 billion) is at a significantly increased risk of blindness, says the study published in the journal Ophthalmology.
发表在《眼科学》期刊上的这项研究还指出，这些近视人口中的五分之一（10亿人）有很高的概率会失明。

The rapid increase in the prevalence of myopia globally is attributed to, "environmental factors (nurture), principally lifestyle changes resulting from a combination of decreased time outdoors and increased near work activities" – time spent looking at screens, say the authors from University of New South Wales Australia and Singapore Eye Research Institute.
研究作者、来自澳大利亚新南威尔士大学和新加坡眼科研究所的专家表示，全球近视人数的快速增长起因于“环境因素”，“主要是人们生活方式的改变——户外活动变少、费眼力的活动增多”，而费眼力的活动主要是人们对各种电子屏幕的使用。

High income countries are most at risk of myopia, the researchers say, simply because the people living in those countries spend more time looking at their television, or phone, or laptop.
研究者称，高收入国家的人尤其易患近视，因为这些国家的居民花在看电视、玩手机和浏览笔记本电脑上的时间更多。

Near work has been thought to be a cause of myopia, or at least a risk factor, for more than 100 years, said researchers.
研究者称，100多年来，费眼力的工作一直被认为是近视的原因，至少也是一个风险性因素。

Though the study said that less time spent outside is correlated with myopia, it is not yet clear why exactly this is the case.
虽然该研究指出户外活动时间减少与近视有关，但未解析具体原因。

We need to ensure our children receive a regular eye examination from an optometrist or ophthalmologist, preferably each year, so that preventative strategies can be employed if they are at risk, said a researcher.
一位研究者建议，应该定期带儿童到验光师或眼科医生那里做检测，最好每年检查一次，以便及时发现问题，并采取预防性措施。

Vocabulary
near work：费眼力的工作