Amount of time to spend outside to protect eye health: Ophtalmologist's advice
Illustrative photo (Freepik)
Eyesight is one of the essential functions of every person. Many aspects of our lives depend on good eyesight. An ophthalmologist shared how much time one should spend outdoors to maintain eye health, citing Express.
A study conducted in 2022 shows that adults are glued to various screens, including work computers and smartphones, for an average of 11 hours a day.
Ophthalmologist Joseph Allen advocates for the benefits of spending time in nature to strengthen eye health and prevent myopia.
"There have been numerous studies looking at outdoor time and that spending more time outside can offset the onset and progression of near-sightedness," he said.
Specifically, spending 90 minutes to 2 hours outdoors daily can counterbalance the time spent working on a computer.
Dr. Joseph acknowledged that the exact reason why outdoor time benefits eye health remains a mystery.
"It is not fully understood, is it the sunlight, is it the brightness outside, is it the individual, specific wavelengths of sunlight that are somehow communicating to the back of the eye to grow or not," the doctor added.
Impact of physical activity
There is also the idea that the way light focuses on the retina when we are outdoors may send a different signal to the back of the eye.
The expert suggested that more physical activity, such as running or athletics, could also improve eye health.
Ophthalmologist Claire McCarthy agrees that time spent outdoors can benefit children's vision. She warned that children constantly glued to screens might lose the ability to focus on distant objects.
She said that myopia, or near-sightedness, can not only cause issues with everyday tasks but also increase the risk of blindness and retinal detachment. These problems can’t always be fixed with a pair of glasses.
Can poor eyesight be inherited?
Some causes of vision deterioration can be hereditary. To minimize the impact of family history on quality of life, it’s essential to learn about your relatives' eye health.
Eye diseases that are often inherited include:
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma
- Optic neuropathy
- Hyperopia
- Myopia
There are many factors that can worsen vision, but there are also numerous ways to improve your eye health. Start by frequently washing your hands, quitting smoking, and wearing protective eyewear. It’s also a good idea to schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist for a routine eye exam.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
