The Malta Eye Study

10/10/2026

🇲🇹
Il-European Eye Epidemiology (E3) Consortium għadu kemm ippubblika studju ġdid, bil-kontribut tax-xogħol lokali ta’ The Malta Eye Study, li juri żieda allarmanti fil-prevalenza tal-mijopija (vista batuta fil-bogħod) fl-Ewropa.

L-istudju juri li r-rata tal-mijopija fl-Ewropa żdiedet b’aktar minn tliet darbiet bejn ġenerazzjonijiet imwielda matul is-seklu li għadda, u llum tlaħħaq madwar 43%. Din ir-rata qed tersaq lejn il-previżjoni ta’ Holden et al. (2016), li kienu bassru li sal-2050 nofs il-popolazzjoni dinjija tkun mijopika.

Dan huwa ta’ tħassib għas-saħħa pubblika, minħabba li l-mijopija hija assoċjata ma’ riskju akbar ta’ kundizzjonijiet oħra li jistgħu jheddu l-vista tul il-ħajja, fosthom il-glawkoma, id-distakk tar-retina u d-deġenerazzjoni makulari mijopika.

Il-prevenzjoni għandha tibda mit-tfulija. Huwa importanti li t-tfal iqattgħu aktar ħin barra, inaqqsu l-ħin imqatta’ quddiem l-iskrins u jagħmlu eżamijiet regolari tal-vista minn età żgħira. Meta l-mijopija tibda tiżviluppa, jeżistu tipi speċjalizzati ta’ nuċċalijiet, lentijiet tal-kuntatt u qtar għall-għajnejn li jistgħu jgħinu biex inaqqsu r-rata tal-progressjoni tagħha.

Nirringrazzjaw lil kull min ta kontribut f'dan l-istudju lokalment.

L-artiklu xjentifiku:

Tiemens, A., van Hemert, D.J., Lemma, S.T. et al. The growing burden of myopia in Europe: evidence from population-based cohorts. European Journal of Epidemiology (2026).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-026-01435-w

🇬🇧
The European Eye Epidemiology (E3) Consortium has just published a new study incorporating data from The Malta Eye Study, highlighting a concerning rise in short-sightedness (myopia) across Europe.

The findings reveal that myopia has more than tripled across generations over the past century, increasing from 18% among those born in the 1900s to over 61% among those born in the 1990s. The estimated prevalence in Europe now stands at 42.7%, approaching the widely cited prediction by Holden et al. (2016) that half the world's population will be short-sighted by 2050.

This is an important public health concern, as myopia is associated with an increased lifetime risk of sight-threatening conditions, including glaucoma, retinal detachment and myopic macular degeneration.

Prevention starts in childhood. Encouraging more time outdoors, limiting prolonged near work and screen time, and ensuring regular childhood vision screening are important measures. Where myopia develops, specialised spectacle or contact lenses and low-dose atropine eye drops may help slow its progression.

Special thanks goes to all involved in The Malta Eye Study.

Published article:

Tiemens, A., van Hemert, D.J., Lemma, S.T. et al. The growing burden of myopia in Europe: evidence from population-based cohorts. European Journal of Epidemiology (2026).

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-026-01435-w

Myopia is a childhood-onset condition driven by excessive axial ocular elongation, associated with increased risk of sight-threatening complications and irreversible visual impairment. Despite rising global prevalence, epidemiological data on long-term trends in Europe remain limited. This study exa...

10/11/2025

Our radio interview is out this evening at 6pm on Campus FM 103.7

This week on Riċerkaturi, RIDT CEO Wilfred Kenely meets Dr David Agius to discuss the final report of the The Malta Eye Study

09/10/2025

🇲🇹
👁️ Jum Dinji tal-Vista 2025 👁️

Illum, fil-Jum Dinji tal-Vista 2025, qed inħabbru li r-riċerka ewlenija tagħna minn The Malta Eye Study għadha kemm ġiet ippubblikata online. Din hija bbażata fuq il-prevalenza tal-problemi fil-vista fost adulti ta’ bejn il-50 u t-80 sena f’Malta.

📖 Aqraha hawn: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/11206721251383740

Riżultati ewlenin:
– Wieħed minn kull erbgħa adulti Maltin ta’ bejn il-50 u t-80 sena għandu/għandha xi forma ta’ nuqqas fil-vista, u wieħed minn kull sittax jgħix b’nuqqas fil-vista li jaffettwa iżjed l-attivitajiet ta’ kuljum.
– Il-kawżi l-aktar komuni huma dawk li ħafna drabi wieħed jista' jilqagħlhom, fosthom il-bżonn tan-nuċċali, il-katarretti u għajn għażżiena (amblyopia). Kawżi oħra jinkludu mard fl-għajn relatat maz-zokkor, deġenerazzjoni tal-makula relatata mal-età, mijopija patoloġika u glawkoma.

Ħajr lil kull parteċipant/a li ta/t il-ħin tiegħu/tagħha għal dan l-istudju, lil kull min għen fil-loġistika ta' dan l-istudju u ħadem biex tinġabar l-informazzjoni, kif ukoll lill-kollegi u l-amministrazzjoni ta’ Mater Dei Hospital u Gozo General Hospital għall-permess li nużaw il-faċilitajiet tagħhom — u lill-isponsors tagħna, RIDT - University of Malta Research Trust, Prohealth Ltd u Class Optical.

👓 F’dan il-Jum Dinji tal-Vista qegħdin inħeġġuk biex tieħu ħsieb għajnejk:
– Iċċekkja għajnejk kull sena jew sentejn (kull sena jekk għandek iz-zokkor jew storja ta’ glawkoma fil-familja).
– Naqqas il-ħin quddiem l-iskrins u ħu pawżi regolari biex tevita għeja jew nixfa fl-għajnejn.
– Ilbes nuċċalijiet tax-xemx ta’ kwalità biex tipproteġi għajnejk kontra d-dawl UV.
– Żomm ruħek f'saħħtek — ikkontrolla l-livelli taz-zokkor fid-demm, ibqa’ attiv/a, u evita t-tipjip u l-konsum ta' drogi jew użu eċċessiv ta’ alkoħol.
– Żomm dieta bilanċjata, mogħnija bi ħxejjex, frott u omega-3s biex issaħħaħ il-vista fit-tul.
– U ma ninsewx it-tfal tagħna — il-vista tat-tfal għandha tiġi ċċekkjata kmieni minn professjonist/a fl-għajnejn, speċjalment jekk jiġu nnutati xi problemi waqt l-iskrining fl-iskola. Dan sabiex jiġu evitati problemi fil-vista matul il-ħajja. Ir-riċerka turi li t-tfal li jqattgħu ftit ħin barra mid-dar ikollhom inqas mijopija (bżonn ta' nuċċali biex jikkoreġi vista fil-bogħod) u l-konsegwenzi tagħha fil-ħajja.
– Fittex attenzjoni medika urġenti mingħand professjonist tal-għajnejn jekk tesperjenza sintomi f’daqqa bħal dwal jixegħlu (flashes), ħjut jew għanqbut li jiċċaqalqu (floaters), dell jew purtiera quddiem il-vista, vista mgħawġa, uġigħ f’daqqa fl-għajn, jew korriment fl-għajn.

It-telf tal-vista mhux inevitabbli maż-żmien — ħafna kawżi nistgħu nilqgħulhom b’kura regolari. Ejja nieħdu ħsieb l-għajnejn Maltin! 💙

*********************************************

🇬🇧

👁️ World Sight Day 2025 👁️

Today, on World Sight Day 2025, we’re proud to announce that our landmark paper from The Malta Eye Study has just been published online, presenting the first population-based data on visual impairment among adults aged 50–80 years in Malta.

📖 Read it here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/11206721251383740

Key findings:
– 1 in 4 Maltese adults aged 50–80 have some degree of reduced vision, and 1 in 16 live with visual impairment affecting their daily activities.
– The most common causes were those that can often be prevented or treated, including the need for updated glasses, cataract, and lazy eye (amblyopia). Other causes included diabetic eye disease, age-related macular degeneration, pathological myopia, and glaucoma.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the participants who volunteered their time, all the team members who provided logistical support and assisted in collecting data in this study, as well as to the staff and administration of Mater Dei Hospital and Gozo General Hospital for their invaluable support and for permitting the use of their facilities - and our sponsors, RIDT - University of Malta Research Trust, Prohealth Ltd and Class Optical.

👓 This World Sight Day, take a moment to care for your eyes:
– Have your eyes checked every 1–2 years (yearly if you have diabetes or a family history of glaucoma).
– Limit screen time and take regular breaks to prevent eye strain and dryness.
– Protect your eyes from UV light with quality sunglasses.
– Maintain good metabolic health — control blood sugar, stay active, and avoid smoking, drugs of abuse and excess alcohol.
– Eat a balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and omega-3s.
– And don’t forget our youngest generation — children’s vision should be checked early by an experienced eye care professional, especially if any issues are flagged during school screening, to prevent lifelong vision problems. Research shows that children who spend some time outdoors have less short-sightedness and its lifelong complications.
- Seek urgent attention from an eye care professional if you experience sudden symptoms such as flashes of light, new floaters, a curtain or shadow over your vision, distorted vision, sudden eye pain, or eye injury.

Vision loss is not inevitable with age — most causes can be prevented or treated. Let’s keep Malta’s eyes healthy! 💙

*********************************************

Purpose To describe the population characteristics, prevalence, and causes of visual impairment in Maltese adults aged 50–80 years. Methods The Malta Eye Study...

24/06/2024

Tonight at 6pm. 103.7 campus FM listen to our radio interview related to The Malta Eye Study.

In this last week of the 5th series of Riċerkaturi, Wilfred Kenely meets Dr David Agius to discuss his research in the Eye Study. University of Malta Campus 103.7

12/07/2022

The study is currently inviting randomly selected people to attend for an eye check. This video explains what the study is all about and what participation entails. We encourage anyone who gets an invitation by post to reach out to us.

15/10/2021

On the occasion of World Sight Day that was celebrated yesterday, we are pleased to announce that the research study has already sent over 400 invitations to random participants and over 100 people have benefited from assessments so far. May we take the opportunity to encourage anyone who receives the invitation to participate in this research and come over to check his/her eye health free of charge.

13/08/2020

Meeting people
Performing questionnaires
Suitable for most ages
Fluency in Maltese and English required

15/10/2019

Kemm niġbdu l-attenzjoni li l-istudju se jsir fuq nies magħżulin b'mod awtomatiku minghajr preferenza (random sampling) sabiex ir-riżultat ikun xjentifikament korrett u applikabbli fl-istrateġija tal-kura ta' l-għajn. Se jsir Mater Dei mhux il-Furjana. Iktar tagħrif tistgħu ssibuh fuq:fb.me/themaltaeyestudy

Madwar 2,000 persuna se jkunu jistgħu japplikaw għal test tal-għajnejn b’xejn bħala parti minn studju nazzjonali. L-għan tal-istudju huwa li jiġbor data dwar il-prevalenza ta’ mard komuni tal-għajnejn u problemi tal-viżta f’Malta. It-tobba qalu li s’issa din it-tip ta’ informazzjon...