A recent study, published in BMC Public Health, reviewed and analysed the link between screen time and myopia in children and adolescents.
Researchers from Soochow University in China assessed various studies to determine how screen exposure affects the risk of developing myopia.
Screen Time Impact: Children who spent more time on screens had a higher risk of developing myopia.
Children who spent more time on screens had a higher risk of developing myopia.
(Photo: Getty Images)Device-Specific Findings: The study found that using computers and watching TV were linked to higher myopia risk, but smartphone use was not as clearly linked.
Myopia, or nearsightedness, makes distant objects appear blurry while close objects remain clear. This condition occurs when the eye's shape causes light rays to bend incorrectly.
A recent study, published in BMC Public Health, reviewed and analysed the link between screen time and myopia in children and adolescents.
Researchers from Soochow University in China assessed various studies to determine how screen exposure affects the risk of developing myopia.
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KEY FINDINGS FROM THE STUDY
Study Scope: The researchers reviewed 19 studies with 102,360 participants. They used data from major health databases to understand the link between screen time and myopia.
Screen Time Impact: Children who spent more time on screens had a higher risk of developing myopia. Those who had high screen time were much more likely to become nearsighted compared to those with low screen time. Children who spent more time on screens had a higher risk of developing myopia. (Photo: Getty Images)
Device-Specific Findings: The study found that using computers and watching TV were linked to higher myopia risk, but smartphone use was not as clearly linked.
Geographic Variation: The increased risk was especially notable in studies from East and South Asia, and in research done after 2008.
Quality and Bias: Most of the studies were of good quality, but some had issues like small sample sizes and not accounting for all possible factors. Despite these issues, the overall results were strong.
The study highlights the potential risks of prolonged screen time for children's eye health and suggests that limiting screen exposure could help reduce the risk of myopia.
