Spending time outside linked to reduced chances of myopia

January 14, 2010

When a report published in the Archives of Ophthalmology revealed that the rate of myopic (nearsighted) Americans has sharply increased in recent years, many eye care professionals were puzzled as to the cause.

Dr Don Mutti, of the College of Optometry at the Ohio State University, told NPR the research has suggested that spending too much time indoors might increase a child's chances of nearsightedness.

However, tasks such as reading and watching television, which have traditionally been thought to cause myopia, do not seem tied to the condition.

It does seem that spending time outside decreases myopia among students, though experts are not able to pinpoint why.

According to the American Optometric Association, nearsightedness generally occurs in school-aged children and continues to progress until about age 20.

Because myopic kids might have difficulty reading the chalk board, it's important that they receive frequent and thorough vision screenings from an eye care professional.