Even One Hour a Day Of Screen Time Elevates Risk Of Myopia For Children

I first saw this in the Epoc Times and thought it was worth passing on. Way too many parents and grandparents use phones and tablets as babysitters. In addition to blue light health issues, studies now show that a child’s developing eyes can be affected as well.

According to new research, even a single hour of daily screen time can substantially boost the likelihood of developing nearsightedness (myopia), particularly among children. Investigators observed that adding an extra hour of daily screen viewing (beyond the initial hour) correlated with a 21 percent rise in the odds of becoming nearsighted.

More Screen Time, More Vulnerability

Drawing on data from 45 studies that involved over 335,000 participants, the researchers explored the intricate relationship between screen exposure and nearsightedness. Their analysis encompassed various digital devices—smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, computers, and televisions—grouped together as “digital devices.” The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis, published in JAMA Network Open, illuminate mounting concerns about children’s screen habits.

“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.

Approximately 42 percent of the general population in the United States is considered nearsighted. Among children, roughly 41 percent in urban settings and 16 percent in rural settings experience the condition. Based on the findings, cutting daily screen exposure to under one hour may help mitigate the risk of developing nearsightedness.

 

Building on Previous Evidence

An earlier meta-analysis that integrated results from 11 studies involving 934 participants found a strong connection between nearsightedness and screen use on smart devices such as smartphones or tablets. According to that research, time spent on these devices alone was linked to a 26 percent increase in the odds of becoming nearsighted, and this risk jumped to 77 percent when combined with computer use.

Another meta-analysis examined different types of screen use separately and found that time spent on computers and televisions contributed to the odds of nearsightedness, while smartphone use did not. The new study’s authors noted that such differing conclusions underscore the necessity for more nuanced studies on safe levels of digital device exposure.

 

Why the Heightened Risk?

Nearsightedness develops when the eye grows longer from front to back, causing light to focus in front of the retina rather than directly on it, explained optometrist Dr. Meenal Agarwal, owner of Pickering Town Centre Optometric Clinic, Stouffville Family Eye Care, and Promenade Optometric Clinic, in comments to The Epoch Times.

“It’s counterintuitive,” she noted. “But the theory is that focusing on close objects for extended periods can strain the eye’s focusing mechanism, which may affect the eye’s shape, causing it to lengthen more than normal.”

She pointed out that anything closer than 22 inches to the face can contribute to this effect. Spending extended periods focusing on a screen at a fixed, near distance disrupts the usual alternation between near and far vision seen in everyday environments. This constant close focus taxes the muscles needed to shift the eye’s focus, potentially fostering nearsightedness due to prolonged near-focus efforts.

Agarwal added that such consistent strain might also hinder the eye from fully relaxing when looking at faraway objects, ultimately altering how the eye grows over time.

 

Reducing Myopia Risk

According to Agarwal, encouraging children to spend more time outdoors is a key strategy. “Studies have found that children who spend more time outdoors tend to have a lower risk of developing myopia,” she said. “This could be due to exposure to natural light and viewing objects at varying distances, which may safeguard against myopia.”

She recommended aiming for roughly two hours outside each day for both children and adults to help ward off or delay the onset of nearsightedness. Taking breaks from work is also crucial. Agarwal suggested using the “20-20-20 rule,” which involves pausing every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

“Lastly, if your child is already myopic, consider myopia control options with your eye doctor like myopia control glasses, contact lenses, or treatments like atropine eye drops,” she said. “These have all been proven to slow the progression of myopia.”

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