Kids should play outside more to reduce the risk of short-sightedness and potential adult blindness

• We are in the grips of a ‘myopia epidemic’: more than 20 per cent of Australians have myopia or short-sightedness, tipped to rise to 50 per cent by 2050.
  
  
• The condition typically develops during school years and, in severe cases, can lead to blindness. Children with early-onset myopia are at highest risk.
  
  
• Children’s eye health is the theme of World Sight Day on Thursday 10 October.

For most people, with myopia, being short-sighted is an inconvenience. However, for some, myopia can lead to blindness. Ahead of World Sight Day (10 October), researchers at the Lions Eye Institute have some eye-opening advice.

While many parents are forever telling kids to get off their mobile phones, evidence reveals spending time on small screens isn’t the critical issue. Rather, it’s the lack of outdoor time, alongside time spent glued to larger computer screens or reading books.

Research by the team at the Lions Eye Institute also shows people who have had skin cancer are half as likely to have myopia. Their advice is to responsibly balance myopia and skin cancer prevention by aiming to safely increase time outdoors, early or late in the day.

The Perth-based institute is investigating eye growth and genetic factors in children to develop population-based measures for use in standard preschool health checks to predict which children need early intervention to protect their sight.

Lead researcher, Professor David Mackey AO says: “Preschool and primary school children at greatest risk will need interventions, which include increased time outdoors, low-concentration atropine drops, peripheral defocus lenses and possibly other treatments being investigated.”