A new study finds kids who spend 1-4 hours of time glued to a screen each day face a significantly higher risk for nearsightedness.
Kids who spend as little as one hour per day on their tablet or smart phone could soon be wearing glasses. A new study finds just one hour of daily screen time significantly increases the risk of myopia or nearsightedness.
Researchers say there’s been a surge in the condition driven largely by an increase in near-vision activities – like using a computer or gaming gadget — and a decrease in outdoor activities.
They reviewed data from 45 investigations that looked at the association between screen time and nearsightedness in more than 335,000 participants from toddlers to young adults.
Each additional hour of daily digital screen time was associated with 21% higher odds of nearsightedness, according to the results. The researchers say the risk increased significantly from 1 – 4 hours of screen time and then rose more gradually.
But no association was found with exposure under 1 hour, suggesting a potential safety threshold.
The authors say these findings can offer guidance to clinicians addressing the “myopia pandemic.”
Source: JAMA Network Open
Author Affiliations: Jeju National University, Chungnam National University, Allbarun Eye Clinic, Konyang University, Seoul National University, Trinity College Dublin
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