As one meta-analysis put it:

It’s estimated that an increase of one hour per day of outdoor time could reduce the occurrence of myopia in children by 45%.

Make sure your kids spend time outside, folks!

  • a_gee_dizzle@lemmy.caOP
    3·
    4 days ago

    Another idea is that when you’re outside, you spend more time focusing on objects further away, which helps develop those eye muscles

    • insomniac_lemon@lemmy.cafeEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      I’ve seen that too, with some emphasis put on viewing the horizon… though where I grew up it’s very unlikely to see anything close to horizon-distance without being at a beach (mostly because trees… better than indoors sure but not much non-treetop distance to look at unless you’re looking across a field/farmland, or maybe a radio/water tower or something).

      • a_gee_dizzle@lemmy.caOP
        2·
        2 days ago

        though where I grew up it’s very unlikely to see anything close to horizon-distance without being at a beach

        It would be interesting to see if people who live im these sorts of areas have higher rates of myopia. I’m not aware of any data that’s been collected on this though

    • SorteKanin@feddit.dk
      2·
      4 days ago

      A third idea is that sunlight is much, much brighter than most indoor artificial light, and the lack of this very bright light causes some sort of problem for the developing eye. Maybe the brightness of the sun is a sort of “calibration” method for the eye and when it doesn’t get that really bright sunlight, the development of the eye goes out of whack.

      So is it vitamin D, or far-away views or bright sunlight? I’ve heard all these theories before but I’m not sure which is it. Does the meta analysis say anything about which effect is most likely the cause? I mean could we “fix” this by going outside to view things far away, or should we just take vitamin D supplements, or should we have much brighter indoor lighting? I’d love to know.

      • a_gee_dizzle@lemmy.caOP
        2·
        4 days ago

        A third idea is that sunlight is much, much brighter than most indoor artificial light

        Would this mean it’s a bad idea to give kids sunglasses?

        Does the meta analysis say anything about which effect is most likely the cause?

        Not that I saw though I admit I didn’t read the whole thing

        • SorteKanin@feddit.dk
          2·
          3 days ago

          Would this mean it’s a bad idea to give kids sunglasses?

          Well if that is actually the causing effect, yes. I checked the paper and they do actually mention light brightness as a potential cause, as well as the other things but they have nothing on what actually causes the problem for real.

          But I mean, clearly we aren’t naturally meant to need sunglasses so in a way I’d say yea, don’t give your kids sunglasses.