Preventing Myopia in the Great Outdoors

Have you drawn a connection between being indoors and spending a lot of time on screens and the rise in myopia?

Chances are you haven’t, that is, unless you are an optometrist.

Hear from three vision care experts about why getting in the great outdoors and taking in views beyond the four walls of your home or office expands your field of vision and can help to offset or prevent eyestrain, headaches, and more.

Prescription Glasses Are Almost Everywhere 

When did so many people need to start wearing prescription glasses? Are we just getting older, or is there more at play than meets the eye?

I was inspired to look into this subject after watching a short clip from an interview on Paul Saladino, MD’s podcast featuring guest Tristan Scott discussing various properties and exposures to light (both real and artificial).

Paul Saladino, MD, is a leading authority on the Carnivore Diet who is also on a relentless search to understand the roots of chronic disease.

Paul moved from his home in Austin, Texas, to the mountains of Costa Rica after vacationing there for what he thought would be 8 days, which, of course, turned to weeks, then to months, to now living a life largely unfettered by fluorescent lights or being chained to one’s desk.

He noticed that in Costa Rica, next to nobody wears glasses.

Why is that?

In this article, I looked to a number of eye care professionals for the answer, and here’s what they had to say.

Meet the Optometrists

Dr. Meenal Agarwal is an award-winning optometrist, distinguished entrepreneur, and podcast host of “Uncover Your Eyes with Dr. Meenal.” With sought-after experience, Dr. Meenal is an expert in the field of eye care and a leading voice on eye health. A graduate of the prestigious Doctor of Optometry program at the University of Waterloo, she is skilled in managing ocular diseases, low vision, and vision therapy. Her expertise and outstanding patient care have made her an authority in the field as a trusted media expert, appearing in Forbes, Time Magazine, Sirius XM, and more. Dr. Meenal practices in the Greater Toronto Area.

Jesse Willingham, OD, is an award-winning Optometric Physician and the founder of Brighter Outlook Vision. Dr. Willingham is degreed at multiple institutions and is continuing his commitment to lifelong learning by working toward fellowship in the College of Optometrists in Vision Development, a national organization for developmental optometrists. He now lives in Charleston, SC, with a specialty practice dedicated to helping people with vision problems that require more than glasses.

Bhavin Shah, Behavioural Optometrist at Central Vision Opticians, is an award-winning neuro-developmental and behavioural optometrist and a specialist in myopia management. With a wealth of knowledge and experience, this exceptional professional has become a trusted authority in the eye care industry, providing top-notch services to patients from all walks of life. Bhavin Shah is based in London, UK.

The Connection Between Poor Eyesight and Indoor Living

Is there a connection between worsened eyesight and spending the majority of your time indoors?

Dr. Meenal Agarwal confirms, “Spending excessive time indoors, especially while doing near activities like reading using digital devices, has been associated with a higher risk of developing myopia (nearsightedness).

“Limited exposure to natural light and a restricted field of vision indoors may contribute to abnormal eye growth and, therefore, a prescription.

“The idea behind this is that sunlight exposure stimulates the release of dopamine in the retina, which helps to regulate normal eye growth and prevents the eyeball from elongating, which is a key factor in myopia development. Brighter outdoor light also helps with reducing eye strain.”

She continues, “Research suggests that spending at least 2 hours outdoors daily can reduce the risk of myopia in children by up to 50%. A study in Taiwan found that increasing outdoor time in schools led to a reduction in the onset and progression of myopia.”

Dr. Jesse Willingham agrees, acknowledging recent studies with findings supporting that the brightness of natural daylight reduces the risk of myopia.

To add to how sunlight slows the progression of myopia development, Bhavin Shah says, “Children who are myopic and spend more time doing close work/reading/mobiles are more likely to progress faster.”

All the more reason to limit screen time for children and encourage outdoor activities every day.

The Role Played By Screens in the Rise of Myopia

You may have guessed this already, but screens and our proximity to them have dramatically changed the landscape.

Dr. Meenal relates, “The increased usage of digital devices has been linked to the rising prevalence of myopia, especially among children and adolescents. Recent studies indicate that increased screen time is associated with a higher risk of developing myopia.

“A 2025 study in Korea found that each additional hour of daily screen time was associated with a 21% increase in the odds of having myopia, and the risk of myopia rose steeply as daily screen time increased in general.”

Dr. Jesse adds, “When we spend so much time looking up close at screens or near objects, our eyeball physically changes, elongating. This is especially detrimental to children under 12 who have more growth hormones, causing the problem to get worse and worse, with lifelong consequences.”

Bhavin, “Increased close focus (ex. phones and reading) requires the lens in the eye to focus more (accommodation of the lens); sustained close focus will increase the rate of progression.”

While these statistics may be upsetting, they should not surprise us given how many children now possess their own mobile devices, a separate conversation for another day.

Children Need Glasses Now More Than In Past Decades

Is it just me, or do more children need glasses now than ever before? If so, what can we attribute this surge in spectacles to?

Dr. Jesse exclaimed, “If you think you are noticing more children wearing glasses, you are correct! Myopia, or nearsightedness, usually occurs because the eye is elongated, causing light to refract incorrectly and making vision blurry.

“More than 40% of Americans are nearsighted today, up from 25% in 1971.

“Researchers believe that if left untreated, by 2050 more than 50% of the world will suffer from this correctible vision problem. Less time outdoors and more time on screens are most likely.

“1 in 3 children are now myopic. The COVID-19 pandemic likely contributed to a spike in nearsightedness in children due to increased screen time and reduced outdoor activities. Kids were spending more time on digital devices for remote learning and recreation, which requires sustained near-focus, a known risk factor for the development and progression of myopia.

“Outdoor activity, which has been shown to have a protective effect on eye growth, was significantly reduced for some kids during lockdowns, further exacerbating the issue.”

Dr. Meenal confirms, “The prevalence of myopia among children has increased significantly over the past few decades,” pointing to factors contributing to this trend, including:

• increased screen time
• reduced outdoor activities
• and greater near-work tasks

“East Asian countries, such as Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, report some of the highest rates of myopia among children,” she notes.

Bhavin Shah observes, “The number of children who are myopic has increased significantly, about twice as many over the past decade. In the far east, about 90% of 18 year-olds are now myopic, in the west, it’s about 20-30% and rising.”

Warmer Climates = Better Vision?

Harkening back to the observations made by Paul Saladino, MD, I couldn’t help but wonder if people living in warmer climates, where they spend more time outdoors, have better vision than people living in colder climates, where more time is spent indoors.

And if so, do people living in warmer places have better vision because they are not as beholden to screens to do their work?

Dr. Meenal comments, “While climate itself isn’t a direct factor, individuals in regions where outdoor activities are more prevalent tend to have lower rates of myopia.

“Exposure to natural light during outdoor activities is believed to stimulate the release of dopamine in the retina, which inhibits abnormal eye growth associated with myopia.

“In colder climates where people may spend more time indoors engaging in near-work or screen-based activities, higher rates of myopia have been observed.”

Bhavin chimes in, “It depends on the amount of outdoor time. Children in Norway (a cold country) have lower rates of myopia, but the children can spend more time outdoors than children in western countries in warmer climates.”

Ways To Improve Your Vision

Looking for a way to see better?

Dr. Meenal states, “While myopia cannot be reversed without surgery, people can take steps to maintain eye health and potentially slow the progression of vision problems. Spending time outdoors in natural daylight has been shown to be beneficial for visual development, particularly in children.”

Dr. Jesse shares, “The best way to reduce your child’s chance of myopia is to spend at least 90 minutes a day outside and to limit screen time. If a child already has myopia, early detection and intervention are crucial. Myopia management can help slow the progression of nearsightedness and protect your child’s vision for the future.”

Bhavin encourages, “Get outdoors!, reduce closer work such as mobiles and reading. Some wavelengths of the spectrum have a protective effect against myopia. Especially the blue/violet end of the spectrum.”

Retraining Your Eyes

Does looking out further into the distance help maintain eyesight? Can you retrain your eyes or help them improve by doing certain exercises? The experts weigh in.

Dr. Meenal, “Engaging in activities that involve focusing on distant objects can help reduce eye strain associated with prolonged near-work tasks.

“While specific eye exercises will not reverse refractive errors like myopia, practices such as the 20-20-20 rule—taking a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away every 20 minutes—can alleviate digital eye strain and promote overall eye comfort.”

Dr. Jesse and Dr. Meenal are singing from the same songbook, endorsing the 20-20-20 rule and taking it up a notch with optometric vision therapy.

He explains, “Optometric vision therapy teaches your brain to better communicate with your eyes to more efficiently navigate your world. 20/20 vision is only ONE of over a dozen important visual skills required to function efficiently to perform well in school or sports.

“Children with reduced vision skills have to work harder than their peers, yet are unable to achieve the results they seek. Their poor visual skills may also cause them to struggle to concentrate throughout the day.

“Optometric vision therapy is a program of progressive visual procedures, individualized to fit the needs and goals of each patient, and performed one-on-one with the doctor or doctor-supervised vision therapist. Many adults can benefit from vision therapy after a concussion or brain injury.”

Bhavin’s perspective on the matter is, “You can’t fix myopia through exercises.

“Some kids who are myopic also have difficulties with the coordination of their eyes or focusing, exercises will help these elements of their vision, it may have an impact to slow the rate of progression of myopia but there is currently not enough evidence for this.”

Simple Swaps To Limit Vision Harm

If you’re looking for some hacks for eye health, the following ideas will help you to make better choices for your vision. I had come across research on blue light-blocking glasses and asked them to share their thoughts on the matter.

Dr. Meenal suggests, “People can use screen filters or adjust settings to reduce screen brightness and increase text size to minimize eye strain.

“You can also position screens to reduce glare and ensure they are at an appropriate distance and angle. I would also encourage outdoor activities for kids to balance screen time and support visual development.

“While blue light-blocking glasses help with our circadian rhythm and anecdotally reduce eye strain, the jury is not out yet on their effectiveness. Implementing behavioral changes, such as those mentioned above, may be more beneficial in preserving eye health.”

Bhavin notes, “There is only scant evidence about the effectiveness of blue blocker glasses; you get much more blue light being outdoors in the sun than you get from a mobile.

“Getting natural light first thing in the morning may have a positive effect on circadian rhythms, putting your phone down an hour before sleeping will help your sleep because blue light can make us artificially more awake and take longer for us to get into sleep mode (it can reduce melatonin production that we need to sleep).”

Best Practices to Preserve Vision and Strengthen Eyes

What are some best practices you can do to preserve your vision and strengthen your eyes? Check out these simple yet effective prescriptions.

Dr. Meenal’s Prescription:

To maintain eye health and reduce the risk of vision problems, consider the following routine:

Limit Screen Time: Aim to reduce recreational screen time to less than two hours per day.

The 20-20-20 Rule: Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away to alleviate eye strain.

Increase Outdoor Activities: Spend at least two hours outdoors daily to benefit from natural light exposure, which supports healthy visual development.

Ensure Proper Lighting: Use adequate, glare-free lighting when reading or working to reduce eye strain.

Regular Eye Exams: Schedule yearly comprehensive eye examinations to monitor and address any vision changes promptly.

Dr. Jesse’s Prescription:

There are several action items parents can put in place to help protect their child’s eye health.

First, encourage outdoor play. Time outdoors is known to be protective against developing nearsightedness, and it promotes the dynamic use of our vision. It’s not a guaranteed deterrent, but we know it helps your odds.

Next, limit screen time. For very young children who haven’t started school yet, an argument could be made for only allowing screen time when video-chatting with friends and family.

For school-aged children, matching screen time 1 to 1 with outdoor time and limiting screen sessions to no more than 20 minutes at a time are good rules of thumb. 

Also, make sure screen time is done ergonomically, with screens held at least 12 inches away and done while maintaining good posture.

Third, get annual eye exams, preferably with an eye care provider who understands visual development. Developmental optometrists have more training and experience in this area and are typically affiliated with OVDRA, the Optometric Vision Development and Rehabilitation Association, and can be found through that organization.

If your child is at high risk of developing nearsightedness or already is nearsighted, consider finding a Myopia Management specialist through organizations like TreeHouse Eyes.

In general, maintaining a balanced lifestyle with a good diet, exercise, and sleep is supportive for all aspects of childhood development, including vision.

Rely on vision experts to guide you in caring for your specific child, and maintain regular, yearly appointments with your eye care provider. Your children will thank you now and life-long.

Bhavin’s Prescription:

• Taking breaks from close work including reading, phones, and computers
• Get enough sleep
• Get outdoors

Get Outside With Lake.com!

Give your family the gift of being in the great outdoors, with ample vistas to gaze upon and adventures to keep your kids off screens and their fields of vision vast. 

Find the perfect getaway in nature and most of the ‘close work’ you regularly experience to bask in the early morning light, reset your circadian rhythm and fill your hearts, eyes and minds with the beauty of the natural world.

Book a cabin today and let the journey begin!