We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.

Advertiser Disclosure

Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

How We Make Money

We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently from our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.

Who Has the Worst Eyesight?

Japanese people tend to have the worst eyesight of any national group in the world — it is estimated that over 60% of Japanese wear either contacts or eyeglasses on a daily basis. Other vision problems are common in Japan too. In 2005, researchers found that 1 in 20 Japanese men were colorblind. The country with the second-worst vision is Singapore, where over 1/3 of Singaporean children need glasses or contacts.

More Japanese health facts:

  • Although they have the worst eyesight, Japanese tend to have the best life expectancy. The average life expectancy in Japan is around 79 years for men and around 86 years for women.

  • As a nation, Japan also has one of the lowest obesity rates in the world. Only about 3% of Japanese people are thought to be obese, whereas almost 70% of Americans are either obese or overweight.

  • Japan is estimated to have around 10 times fewer teen pregnancies than America.

Discussion Comments

By anon347095 — On Sep 03, 2013

@anon245170: As for Japanese people living longer, it's probably because they consume fewer calories than the average human. Calorie restriction or intermittent fasting has shown to extend lifespan, according to some studies.

By anon245170 — On Feb 04, 2012

What do you think causes that?

CulturalWorld, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

CulturalWorld, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.