The Times: Too much reading makes kids shortsighted

I always had my nose in a book as a child and had to wear glasses (short sighted) from the age of 16. I do like my glasses though and feel they are part of my personality now.

I always had my nose in a book as a child and had to wear glasses (short sighted) from the age of 16. I do like my glasses though and feel they are part of my personality now.

Article

Myopia rates among under-16s have tripled since the 1960s. Opticians urge parents to send their children outside

An epidemic of short-sightedness is linked to youngsters staring at screens, reading books and doing homework, say scientists — who recommend removing their gadgets and sending them outside for at least two hours a day.

Researchers have found a direct relationship between the time youngsters spend on “nearwork” and myopia. They also predict a surge in the numbers of people who become blind or visually impaired, as people who develop short-sightedness early in life are at far higher risk of serious eye problems when older.

About 20% of UK under-16s are short-sighted, compared with 7.2% in the 1960s. The increase is so steep that some specialists want the condition renamed “school myopia”.

“There is evidence that nearwork increases development of myopia,” said Dr Clare Quigley, an ophthalmologist at Galway University Hospital, Ireland, whose study of the lifestyles and health of 8,568 nine-year-olds shows a powerful connection between myopia and sedentary lifestyles.

“The factors that consistently appear most important in development of myopia are education and time spent indoors . . . more education is associated with greater myopia,” she said. “Time outdoors, especially in early childhood, is protective against myopia.”

The full online article can be found here.