03/01/2025 // Belle Carter // 1,8K Views
Tags: 20-20-20
rule, atropine eye drops, children's health, contact
lenses, digital
devices, digital
screens, exposure to natural light, eye
health, health, healthcare, myopia, myopia control glasses, nearsightedness, optometry, parenting, risk, screen
time, stress
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
https://www.naturalnews.com/2025-03-01-study-confirms-link-increased-screen-time-myopia.html
