Why Are More Children Near-Sighted These Days?

Image by Nguyen Dinh Lich from Pixabay

Near-sighted people can see things fine up close, but they struggle to see things when they’re further away.  More children than ever before are having trouble with their vision. Near-sightedness is on the rise. 

New research suggests two causes: children spending more time looking at screens, and children spending less time outside. 

The pandemic has made things worse. One survey found that 44 percent of U.S. children are using electronic devices for over four hours a day. That is more than double the rate before the pandemic. With kids online for school, four hours actually seems low because I don't think kids have reduced their non-school time staring at screens.

Experts say exposure to outdoor lighting helps eye health and people should try to look away from screens at least every 20 minutes. Being outside requires eyes to focus at varying distances and in variab;e lighting situations.

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