The Outdoors: A Natural Remedy for Childhood Nearsightedness

Spending time outdoors can significantly improve children’s eyesight, helping to combat the rising rates of childhood nearsightedness. With about 40% of children ages 6 to 19 being nearsighted, and the rate nearly double in Asia, this is a growing concern.

Nearsightedness, or myopia, occurs when the eye grows too long, leading to good near vision but poor distance vision. Although glasses and contact lenses can correct vision, severe myopia increases the risk of serious eye problems such as retinal detachment, glaucoma, early cataracts, and myopic maculopathy.

Benefits of Outdoor Time Spending more time outdoors is believed to help reduce the risk of developing myopia. Increased outdoor activities may protect against myopia by exposing children to natural light, which could increase dopamine levels in the eye and control its growth rate. Furthermore, outdoor activities often involve focusing on distant objects, which may help prevent the eye from elongating.

Reducing Screen Time The rise in screen time and reduced outdoor play are major contributors to the increase in childhood myopia. Encouraging children to spend at least one to two hours outside daily and limiting screen time to similar durations can be beneficial.

Additional Solutions To further slow the progression of myopia, treatments like low-dose atropine eye drops and special multifocal contact lenses have shown promise. These treatments should be prescribed based on a child’s age and the rate of myopia progression.

Practical Tips for Parents

• Encourage outdoor reading and play.
• Create screen-free zones at home.
• Practice the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

By adopting these practices, parents can help protect their children’s vision and overall eye health, fostering a future where myopia is less prevalent and more manageable.