Eye Injuries Among Children Projected to Rise to 12 Million Globally By 2040

With the global number of children and adolescents affected by eye injuries projected to increase 12.02 million by 2040, early intervention strategies, such as promoting eye safety initiatives in schools and homes, are essential for mitigating long-term outcomes and reducing the socioeconomic burden on families and communities. Photo: James Milite, MD. Click image to enlarge. Eye injury is a leading cause of blindness and vision loss worldwide, and children are particularly vulnerable. In a recent study, researchers evaluated the global, regional and national burden of eye injuries among children and adolescents from 1990 to 2021 and found boys and adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 experiencing a higher burden, as well as children and adolescents in more affluent countries with a higher risk of eye injuries compared to their counterparts in less developed countries. The findings were reported recently in Journal of Ophthalmology.Eye injury estimates for children and adolescents, including incidence and years lived with disability (YLDs), were collected from Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 and analyzed by age, sex and location. The association between sociodemographic index (SDI) and eye injury burden was also investigated.From 1990 to 2021, the age-standardized incidence rate and age-standardized YLD rate for child and adolescent eye injuries decreased by 21.6% and 21.4%, respectively. These declines were likely due to strengthened safety regulations such as toy safety, heightened public awareness of injury prevention among children, parents and communities, as well as a decline in high-risk sports activities, among others. In contrast, the reductions in the numbers of incident cases (7.8%) and YLDs (7.7%) were much smaller. Despite these falling rates, the total burden remains substantial, with an estimated 11,547,996 incident cases and 84,790 YLDs in 2021, a discrepancy largely attributed to global population growth, the authors noted in their paper.There was a significant gender disparity, with males consistently exhibiting a higher burden compared to females, which is consistent with previous studies and can be attributed for a few reasons. “For example, boys are typically granted more freedom and tend to spend more unsupervised time outdoors, engaging in more restrained and aggressive behaviors compared to girls,” the authors wrote in their paper.Adolescents ages 15 to 19 also had a higher burden, which could be linked to more participation in risk-prone behaviors such as sports, driving and interpersonal violence, the authors explained in their paper.“Interventions could include educational campaigns on eye safety, increased access to protective eyewear and promoting safer environments in schools and communities to mitigate the risk of injury,” the authors wrote about this specific age and sex group.Regionally, South Asia and East Asia had the highest number of incident cases in 2021, which can be attributed to the large population bases and their “rapid transition from predominantly rural societies to highly industrialized ones.” Australia and New Zealand reported the highest ASIR and ASYR, which may be associated with environmental factors: (high sunlight [ultraviolet] intensity, wildlife-related injuries, plant-related injuries, frequent volcanic activities) and behavioral factors: accidental injuries (sports-, toy- and pet-related injuries), risky behaviors (fireworks and bungee jumping), personal assaults, traffic accidents and self-harm, according to the authors.Nationally, India had the most incident cases, reflecting its large population and possibly insufficient preventive measures. “In addition, the notable delay in seeking medical attention is also a concern in India, which reflects—to some extent—a lack of awareness among the population about the severity of eye injuries,” the authors wrote.The SDI-based analysis revealed that children and adolescents in higher SDI countries had higher incidence and YLD rates than their counterparts in lower SDI countries, which may be attributed to increased vehicle use, industrial accidents, household pets and engagement in risky activities.Unintentional injuries were the leading cause of child and adolescent eye injuries globally. Self-harm and interpersonal violence were found to be significantly more prevalent in North Africa and the Middle East region, reflecting the impact of regional conflicts.Projections suggest the global number of affected children and adolescents will rise to approximately 12.02 million by 2040, highlighting the need for preventive measures and effective interventions—such as promoting eye safety initiatives in schools and homes—to reduce the burden of eye injuries in this vulnerable population.Click here for the journal source. Meng Y, Liu Y, Chen Z, et al. Epidemiological trends and inequalities in eye injuries among children and adolescents aged 0-19 years; a comprehensive analysis of global, regional and national data from 1990 to 2021. J Ophthalmol. January 24, 2026. [Epub ahead of print] This article was developed by the editorial staff in conjunction with experts in the field. 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