A Surprising Benefit of Outdoor Play:
Improved Eyesight For Kids
Have you noticed that more
and more people are wearing
glasses these days? Throughout
the world, there is a nearsightedness,
or myopia, epidemic. This condition is diagnosed
when individuals need corrective
lenses to see objects far away. The blurry
vision is the result of the eye growing too
long for distant rays of light to focus accurately
on the back of the eye. Myopia can
potentially lead to serious eye diseases
later in life, such as retinal detachment or
degeneration.
It is estimated that about one-third
of the world’s population is nearsighted.
Nearly half of young adults in the United
States and Europe are nearsighted, which
is twice the amount from a half-century
ago. For years, researchers have been trying
to identify the reason for the rise in vision
problems. Could it be all the computers,
video games, and texting? Although
that is the most obvious culprit, scientists
have now found a fascinating link between
the amount of time children spend
outside and their eyesight.
— by Sandi Schwartz
Scientists reviewed data for nearly
5,000 children over 20 years as part of the
Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of
Ethnicity and Refractive Error (CLEERE)
Study funded by the National Eye Institute.
They found that more time outdoors,
about 14 hours per week, can nearly remove
genetic risk, lowering the chances
of needing corrective lenses to about 20
percent (the same chance as a child with
no nearsighted parents).
In another review, researchers at the
University of Cambridge examined eight
studies that covered data for 10,400 children
and adolescents. They determined
that each additional hour spent outdoors
per week could reduce the risk of developing
myopia by up to two percent.
Finally, a research team in China
looked at the effect of prolonged
exposure to sunlight on eye health in
1,900 schoolchildren. The children were
broken into two groups; the first group
spent more time outdoors than the second
group. Scientists found that the children
who spent more time outdoors had a 23
percent reduced risk of developing myopia
over a three-year period. Researchers
also discovered that of the children who
developed myopia, those who spent more
time outdoors had fewer vision issues
than those who did not.
Researchers have several theories to
explain the connection between vision
and time spent outdoors. Some believe
that the outdoors provides a protective effect
on our children’s eyes as the children
grow. Others talk about how the exposure
to more ultraviolet B radiation from the
sun leads to a boost in vitamin D production
that may improve eye health from a
biochemical standpoint. Another theory is
that children who are outside often tend
to be more physically active, and that
movement could protect the body. Finally,
another idea is that bright light slows
abnormal myopic eye growth by stimulating
a release of dopamine from cells in
the retina. Dopamine then causes slower,
normal growth of the eye that is not impacted
by myopia.
What can parents do to take advantage
of this new information?
Check vision annually. Nearsightedness
typically begins during elementary
school, so please be sure to have your
children’s vision checked annually at
school and/or at the pediatrician’s office.
If an issue is identified, then you will be
referred to a pediatric ophthalmologist for
a more thorough exam.
Limit screen time. Whether is it natural
light or the damaging effects of the
electronics themselves, these studies give
us more reason to limit screen time and
send our kids outdoors.
Encourage daily outdoor play.
Children are spending less time outdoors
these days because of a number of factors.
It is up to us to schedule fun outdoor
activities throughout the week. This
can include organized sports teams, free
play with friends and neighbors, family
bike rides, trips to the park, gardening, or
even setting up a spot outside to do homework.
Even though the goal is to have our
children’s eyes exposed to more natural
sunlight, it is still critical that we protect
them with sunglasses and sunscreen.
Increase light exposure indoors. If
the weather is not conducive to head outdoors,
consider using daylight-spectrum
indoor lights to minimize myopia. These
are the same types of lights used to address
seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Sandi Schwartz is a parenting writer and
mother of two. Her work has appeared in
publications including Chicken Soup for
the Soul, Scary Mommy, Parent Co., Motherly,
The Week, Very Well Family, The Gottman
Institute blog, BlogHer, Your Teen,
Urban Mommies, and numerous regional
parenting magazines. She also manages the
blog Happy Science Mom, a parenting toolkit
for raising happy, balanced children.
July 2020 WNY Family 23