Outdoor light may lower short-sightedness in kids

Increasing exposure to outdoor light can significantly reduce short-sightedness in children, a new study has found.

The findings revealed that it is not ‘near work’ on computer and other screens that causes myopia, but a lack of adequate outdoor light.

“Children exposed to the least outdoor light had faster eye growth and hence faster myopia progression,” said lead researcher Scott Read, optometrist and associate professor at Queensland University Of Technology in Australia. Also, for those who already have myopia, increasing time outside is likely to reduce the progression of the vision problem.

Children should spend more than an hour and preferably at least two hours a day in the outdoor light to help prevent myopia from developing and progressing.

“Optometrists need to make their patients aware that less than 60 minutes’ exposure to light outdoors per day is a risk factor for myopia,” Read suggested.

The findings were presented at the Australian Vision Convention in Queensland, Australia.