• A study published in JAMA Network Open found that each additional hour of screen time beyond the first increases the risk of developing myopia by 21 percent among children, highlighting a significant health concern.
• The meta-analysis examined 45 studies involving over 335,000 participants, considering various digital devices such as smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, computers and TVs, demonstrating a complex relationship between screen time and myopia risk.
• Myopia affects about 42 percent of the U.S. population, including a high percentage of children, particularly in urban areas (41 percent) and less in rural areas (16 percent), underscoring the urgency to understand and mitigate the risks.
• Focusing on close objects for extended periods, common when using digital screens, can stress the eye’s focusing system, potentially causing the eye to elongate and increasing the risk of myopia.
• Experts recommend increasing outdoor activities, following the 20-20-20 rule (20-second breaks every 20 minutes to look 20 feet away) and considering myopia control options like specialized glasses, contact lenses and atropine eye drops to reduce the risk and progression of myopia.

In a groundbreaking study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers have confirmed a direct correlation between increased screen time and the risk of developing nearsightedness or myopia, particularly among children.

The study, which analyzed data from 45 studies involving over 335,000 participants, found that each additional hour of screen time per day beyond the first increases the odds of developing myopia by 21 percent. This finding underscores the growing health concern as children increasingly use digital devices at younger ages.

The meta-analysis, which considered various digital devices including smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, computers and television sets, reveals a complex relationship between screen time and myopia risk. The researchers, recognizing the ubiquity of digital screens in modern life, emphasized the need for a better understanding of how these devices affect eye health, especially in children.

“As children increasingly embrace smart devices at younger ages and spend more time on digital screens, there is an urgent need to better understand the association of digital screen time with myopia,” the researchers wrote in their paper.

This urgency is underscored by the prevalence of nearsightedness, which affects about 42 percent of the U.S. population, including a significant number of children – 41 percent in urban areas and 16 percent in rural areas.

The study suggests that limiting daily screen time to less than one hour could potentially reduce the risk of developing myopia. This recommendation builds on previous research, which found that time spent on smart devices alone was associated with a 26 percent increase in the odds of developing myopia. When computer usage was added to the mix, the odds increased by 77 percent.

Why the increased risk?

Nearsightedness or myopia, occurs when the eye elongates from front to back, causing light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it. This results in distant objects appearing blurry.

Optometrist Dr. Meenal Agarwal, owner of several optometric clinics, explained the mechanism behind this phenomenon.

“It’s counterintuitive, but the theory is that focusing on close objects for extended periods can put stress on the eye’s focusing system, which may influence the shape of the eye, causing it to elongate more than it would naturally,” Agarwal told the Epoch Times.

She noted that this stress is particularly pronounced when looking at objects closer than 22 inches to the face, a common scenario when using digital screens. When staring at a screen, the eyes maintain a fixed focus on a close distance, preventing the natural switching between focusing on near and far objects in a natural environment. This prolonged near focus can strain the eye muscles and potentially contribute to the elongation of the eye, increasing the risk of myopia.

Reducing myopia risk

Agarwal recommends several strategies to mitigate the risk of myopia, with a particular emphasis on increasing outdoor activity.

“Studies have found that children who spend more time outdoors tend to have a lower risk of developing myopia,” she said. “Exposure to natural light and focusing on objects at various distances, as we do outdoors, may help prevent myopia.”

Agarwal suggested that children and adults spend approximately two hours outdoors each day to help prevent or delay the onset of myopia. Reducing near work and taking regular breaks are also crucial. She advised following the “20-20-20 rule,” which involves taking a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away every 20 minutes. For children who are already myopic, Agarwal recommended discussing myopia control options with an eye doctor. These options include myopia control glasses, contact lenses and treatments like atropine eye drops, all of which have been proven to slow the progression of myopia.

The findings of this comprehensive study highlight the urgent need for parents, educators and healthcare providers to be vigilant about children’s screen time. By implementing simple strategies such as increasing outdoor time and following the 20-20-20 rule, the risk of developing myopia can be significantly reduced. (Related: Sunlight is healthy for the eyes: Millions of children have compromised eyesight from not getting enough natural light.)

Watch the video below that talks about curing myopia by staring at the sky.

This video is from the Natural Cures channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Spending more time outside as a child linked to protection against nearsightedness.

Another reason to get your kid outside: Kids who play outdoors can SEE better, study finds.

Study: Smartphones linked to rising cases of dry-eye disease and digital eye strain.

Sources include:

TheEpochTmes.com

JAMANetwork.com

Brighteon.com