Myopia occurring earlier: specialist

More than 450 million Chinese suffer from shortsightedness

More than 450 million Chinese suffer from shortsightedness, the country's top health authority estimates, warning that it appears to be affecting children at a younger age.

The prevalence among Chinese primary school pupils is estimated at 30 percent, but the rate climbs to 60 percent for junior high students, 80 percent for those in senior high and 90 percent for college students, according to the National Health Commission. Most begin developing the condition in their teenage years.