Get Your Kids Outside - It's Good for Their Eyes

By Editorial Staff

Exposing your kids to The Great Outdoors as much as possible goes beyond physical fitness, stress release and an escape from technology (although these days, kids seem to take their technology with them wherever they go). Spending time outside may also be good for their eyesight, according to research – specifically with regard to nearsightedness (myopia), a common reason for needing to wear glasses.

While genetics play a major role in nearsightedness, spending more time outside appears to impact the child's risk of developing nearsightedness dramatically. In fact, increasing outdoors time by approximately 14 hours per week can reduce the risk that a child with two nearsighted parents will develop nearsightedness from 60 percent down to 20 percent, which is just about the same risk for children with non-nearsighted parents.

Researchers speculate that the protective effect of outdoor exposure may be due to several factors, including exposure to brighter / more light, which encourages vitamin D production and may stimulate eye health in other biochemical ways. Regardless, it's another great reason to turn off the TV, store the mobile phones and get your kids out into the open air as much as possible.