Have you ever noticed your eyes feeling strained after hours of staring at a screen?
Well, a new study published in the Peer-Reviewed Medical Journal of Ophthalmology has raised alarm over the link between prolonged screen time and the risk of developing myopia, or short-sightedness.
Myopia, also known as short-sightedness or nearsightedness, is a common vision condition where a person can see objects up close clearly but has difficulty seeing things in the distance.
This happens when the eye is too long, or the cornea (the clear front surface of the eye) is too curved, causing light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it.
Led by ophthalmologist Ahnul Ha from Seoul National University, the research found a strong correlation between screen use and the increased likelihood of developing myopia.
The study revealed that spending more than one hour per day on digital screens significantly raised the risk, with the danger intensifying after four hours of screen time.
The findings were based on the analysis of 45 studies, covering over 335,000 participants.
For every extra hour spent on screens each day, the risk of myopia increased by 21%.
This effect was noticeable across all age groups, though children aged two to seven showed the strongest association.
Dr. Ha and colleagues suggest that the key to preventing myopia may not lie solely in cutting down on screen time.
Instead, balancing screen use with outdoor activities could be the most effective strategy.
For children, experts recommend limiting screen exposure to no more than one hour daily.
With the World Health Organisation forecasting that nearly half of the global population will experience myopia by 2050, the urgency for proactive measures has never been clearer.
This study highlights the importance of addressing screen time and its impact, particularly in a world where urbanisation and indoor lifestyles are on the rise.
While the study shows a clear trend, experts caution that other factors, such as genetics, may also play a role in the rise of myopia.
Still, with outdoor time and reduced screen usage, there may be a way to combat this worsening issue.
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