Photo/Illutration Children use mobile devices. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

The percentage of elementary, junior high and high school students with less than 1.0 vision reached a record high, according to an education ministry survey released on Nov. 28. 

The school health statistics survey for fiscal 2022 showed that children’s eyesight continues to deteriorate with prolonged use of electronic devices believed to be a factor.

Every year, the ministry compiles the results of health examinations conducted at national, public and private kindergartens and elementary, junior high and high schools nationwide and into the statistics survey.

The results showed the percentage of kindergarten children with a naked eye vision of less than 1.0 was 24.95 percent, for elementary school students it was 37.88 percent, for junior high school students it was 61.23 percent and for high school students it was 71.56 percent.

Although a simple comparison cannot be made because of the discrepancy in the timing of health checks compared to those conducted before fiscal 2019--or those conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic--the percentage of children with under 1.0 vision was at the highest level for elementary, junior high and high school students since fiscal 1979, when the survey began.

In fiscal 1979, the percentage was 16.47 percent for kindergarten children, 17.91 percent for elementary school students, 35.19 percent for junior high school students and 53.02 percent for high school students.

The ministry believes the decline in children’s eyesight is due to more time spent using smartphones and tablet devices.

Under the government’s GIGA (Global and Innovation Gateway for All) school project, one mobile device per student in public elementary and junior high schools nationwide was distributed by the end of fiscal 2021.

In a survey of schools simultaneously conducted with a national school performance survey this spring, more schools than the previous year said they use the devices three or more days a week in class, with 90 percent of elementary schools and more than 80 percent of junior high schools saying they use the devices three or more days a week in class.

Because of this, the ministry has taken various measures.

For example, in March 2021, the ministry issued a notice advising the devices be kept at least 30 centimeters away from the eyes while being used and to refrain from using them one hour before bedtime.

In addition, a three-year project to survey elementary and junior high school students about their vision, time spent using mobile devices and time spent playing outside was launched in fiscal 2021 to determine the causes of children’s deteriorating vision and to find effective measures to maintain vision.

The results will be announced in the next fiscal year.

(This article was written by Ryuichi Hisanaga and Yukihito Takahama.)

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