Children spending as little as 15 minutes outside are less likely to develop myopia, according to a new study out of China.
Scientists who explored the link between outdoor exposure and myopia shift found that amount of time exposed to sunlight was enough to cause a lower myopic shift in refraction.
The study, part of new research published in JAMA Network Open, was written by scientists at a number of Chinese sites, including the Shanghai Eye Diseases Prevention & Treatment Centre, Shanghai Eye Hospital, and the Department of Ophthalmology at Shanghai General Hospital.
The research involved 2976 children between the ages of seven and nine living in Shanghai, China. Study participants were given a smartwatch to wear between 7am and 7pm each day for a year.
Within the study group, the mean time spent outdoors was 90 minutes each day, while the mean sunlight intensity was 2345 lux.
Children who spent at least 15 minutes outside in light levels of no less than 2000 lux had a lower myopic shift in refraction.
“Outdoor exposure patterns of at least 15 minutes were found to be protective against myopic shift, with the association increasing with sunlight intensity,” the study authors shared.
The authors noted that the average amount of time spent outdoors in the study population was lower than that of children in Australia and the UK – where studies have found that children of a similar age spend two to three hours outdoors.
Reflecting on potential reasons for this difference, the researchers pointed to differences in the educational demands on Chinese children, lifestyle and sociocultural factors.
More reading
Spotlight on Myopia – Insight’s September 2024 issue
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