By 2050, half of the world’s population (nearly 5 billion) will be short-sighted, research suggests, and screens are to blame.
研究顯示，到2050年，世界上的半數人口（近50億人）將是近視眼。而各種屏幕正是這一趨勢的“罪魁禍首”。

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.
發表在《眼科學》期刊上的這項研究還指出，這些近視人口中的五分之一（10億人）有很高的概率會失明。

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、來自澳大利亞新南威爾士大學和新加坡眼科研究所的專家表示，全球近視人數的快速增長起因于“環境因素”，“主要是人們生活方式的改變——戶外活動變少、費眼力的活動增多”，而費眼力的活動主要是人們對各種電子屏幕的使用。

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.
研究者稱，高收入國家的人尤其易患近視，因為這些國家的居民花在看電視、玩手機和瀏覽筆記本電腦上的時間更多。

Near work has been thought to be a cause of myopia, or at least a risk factor, for more than 100 years, said researchers.
研究者稱，100多年來，費眼力的工作一直被認為是近視的原因，至少也是一個風險性因素。

Though the study said that less time spent outside is correlated with myopia, it is not yet clear why exactly this is the case.
雖然該研究指出戶外活動時間減少與近視有關，但未解析具體原因。

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.
一位研究者建議，應該定期帶兒童到驗光師或眼科醫生那里做檢測，最好每年檢查一次，以便及時發現問題，并采取預防性措施。

Vocabulary
near work：費眼力的工作

英文來源：英國每日電訊報
編譯：杜娟