The global pandemic has forced many children indoors causing a rapid rise in screen time. As screen time accelerates, so does concern among parents about the impact on their children’s eyesight.

Myopia is on the rise — in its frequency and its severity. The reason for its escalation has been linked to two factors.

Factors that cause Myopia

Genetic

Kids with one or two myopic parents are more likely to be myopic

Lifestyle

Spending more time on activities like reading or using handheld devices instead of spending time outdoors increases the likelihood of becoming myopic.

Screen Time & Myopia

A new study from JAMA Ophthalmology confirms parental concern about myopia during home confinement. Researchers recently analyzed nearly 200,000 school-based vision screenings among 125,000 children, ages 6−13, in Feicheng, China. The study shows that home confinement due to COVID-19 appears to be associated with a substantial myopic shift in young children, aged 6−8. In fact, the prevalence of myopia (nearsightedness) sharply increased 1.4 to 3 times in 2020, compared with the previous five years. The authors note that younger children may be more sensitive to environmental changes, given they are in a critical period for eye growth and myopia development.

What You Can Do

As screen time surges and new research findings are published, we encourage parents to continue scheduling annual comprehensive eye exams and to keep an eye on behaviors related to screen time such as excessive time indoors and “near work” activities that may play a role in the development of myopia. To assess your child’s risk of developing myopia, check out CooperVision’s myopia risk assessment tool.

Annual comprehensive eye exams are also important to evaluate the entire visual system, eye health, and catch myopia at the earliest time possible. We’re proud to be certified to prescribe the Brilliant Futures™