Increasing exposure to outdoor light is the key to reducing
the myopia epidemic in children, according to ground-breaking research by
Australian optometrists.
The study said optometrists can now advise parents
that children need to spend more than one hour and preferably at least two
hours a day outside to help prevent myopia from developing and
progressing.
The researchers found that outdoor light appeared to be the main
protective factor against myopia development and progression.
Professor Read, director of research at Queensland
University of Technology’s School of Optometry and Vision Science, said it is
“prudent for optometrists to advise that less than 60 minutes a day exposure to
light outdoors is a risk factor for faster eye growth and potentially becoming
myopic and myopia progression,’ he told Australian Optometry. ‘It
looks like even for those with myopia, increasing time outside is likely to
reduce progression.’
One-third of kids spend most of the day indoors
‘Still in our study one-third of kids spent, on average, less than 60
minutes outside a day. Half of these kids were myopic and a handful of the
non-myopic kids in this group looked like they were heading towards myopia
during the study.’ Those who habitually
spent less than 60 minutes in bright outdoor light levels were found to show
significantly faster eye growth compared with those spending more time in
bright outdoor light.
‘Children exposed to the least outdoor light had faster eye
growth and hence faster myopia progression,’ Professor Read said.
The findings suggest the protective effect of being outdoors seems to be related to
light rather than physical activity as the study found no significant
relationship with eye growth and exercise.
Intervention
The study found that low light exposure of less than 60
minutes a day outside puts kids at risk of faster eye growth and hence myopia
development, so less than an hour outside a day in bright light looks to be a
risk factor for eye growth and myopia and for myopic progression.
If you
increase outdoor time by an hour a day, this is likely to have a positive
effect on slowing eye growth and hence reducing myopia development and also
progression if you already have myopia.
The researchers advise that children still need sun protection including hats and sunglasses while
outside, as bright light outdoors is still able to have a protective effect
even if sunglasses are worn.
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Sourced from Optometry Australia
07 Sep 2016
