How spending time in the sun can reduce your child's risk of Myopia | Optometrist Cherrybrook Eye Doctor Sydney Orthokeratology

Myopia (known as shortsightedness) is a condition where the eye grows longer, so light doesn’t focus the retina as it should, making more distant objects appear blurry. Due to an increase in time spent on devices, more and more children are being diagnosed with the condition.

A new global study co-authored by Dr David Wilson of Brien Holden Vision Institute, forecasts that 10 per cent of the world’s population will be at risk of blindness by 2050 if steps aren’t taken to stop myopia turning into high myopia (requiring glasses with a prescription of minus 5 or stronger).

Why myopia rates have soared isn’t entirely clear but one factor that keeps cropping up in research is how much time children spend outdoors. The longer they’re outside, the less likely they are to become near-sighted, according to more than a dozen studies in various countries worldwide.

The greatest health concern is the increase in severe myopia, which increases the risk of serious eye problems like retinal detachment, glaucoma and macular degeneration, experts say.

While about 30 per cent of the risk of myopia is genetic, experts say daily exposure to sunlight can stop the disease from progressing.

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How spending time in the sun can reduce your child’s risk of Myopia

How spending time in the sun can reduce your child’s risk of Myopia