Did you know that myopia, or nearsightedness, affects half of all young adults in the US and Europe? In areas where kids spend significant time indoors, myopia is becoming more and more common. Spending too much time indoors at a young age can impact the eye’s development.
Being indoors can cause the eye to grow too long, which changes the focus of light entering the eye, and causes faraway objects to appear blurry. As a result, your child may squint to see distant objects, or complain about headaches. Mild myopia generally can be treated with glasses, or contacts. But in extreme cases, it can lead to serious eye conditions.
Some risk factors include:
- genetics
- prolonged near work such as screen usage or reading
- and most importantly, being indoors for long periods of time.
Luckily, just two hours a day outside can reduce the progression of myopia. This time can be broken up throughout the day. Going on a walk, playing at the park, or just sitting outside can make a difference.
Be sure to schedule regular checkups with your child’s eye doctor to see if they’re at risk for myopia
