The Study
The association between time spent outdoors and myopia in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
This study looked at lots of other studies and found that kids who spend more time outside tend to have less nearsightedness. But it doesn't prove that being outside causes better eyesight—maybe kids who play outside also do other healthy things that help their eyes.
Analysis score
Maximum 85 for a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Where the score came from
Scientists looked at many studies about kids who spend time outside and found that more time outdoors is linked to less nearsightedness.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 539 / 100
Quality score
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of cohort studies. They sit above a single cohort study but below a single randomized trial, because the underlying evidence is still observational.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — spending just one more hour outside every day could cut a child’s chance of becoming nearsighted by more than 1 in 10.
- 2Each extra hour outside per week lowers myopia risk by 2%.
- 3That means an extra hour per day lowers it by 13%.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Ophthalmology
Year
2012
Authors
J. C. Sherwin, M. Reacher, R. Keogh, A. Khawaja, D. Mackey, P. Foster
Related Content
Claims (4)
Children and adolescents who spend more time outdoors each week have a slightly lower chance of developing myopia.
Children and adolescents who spend more time outdoors experience slower worsening of nearsightedness.
Children and adolescents who spend one more hour outdoors each day have a 13% lower chance of developing myopia compared to those who spend less time outdoors.
Exposure to natural daylight increases dopamine release in the retina, which directly slows the lengthening of the eye and decreases the worsening of nearsightedness.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.