Outdoor activity and myopia progression in children: A follow-up study using mixed-effects model

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a growing global health concern, particularly in children.
• Understanding factors influencing myopia progression is crucial for developing effective interventions.
• Limited outdoor activity has been anecdotally linked to increased myopia risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of daily outdoor activity on the progression of myopia in children.
• To quantify the relationship between time spent outdoors and changes in refractive error.

Main Methods:

• A hospital-based, prospective observational study involving 495 children aged 7-14 with myopia.
• Myopia progression was tracked via cycloplegic refraction every six months over 18 months.
• Parent-reported daily outdoor activity was recorded and used to calculate a standardized score.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant inverse association was observed between outdoor activity and myopia progression (spherical equivalent change).
• Each unit increase in outdoor activity was associated with a -0.01 D change in SE (Model 1) and a -0.06 D change (Model 2).
• These findings indicate that greater time spent outdoors correlates with slower myopia progression.

Conclusions:

• The study provides robust evidence for a significant inverse relationship between outdoor activity and myopia progression in children.
• Encouraging increased outdoor activity may be a viable strategy for myopia management and prevention.