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Screens are part of everyday life for most kids across the country, from online homework to gaming and streaming. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis in JAMA Network Open that combined 45 studies and 335,524 participants found that each extra hour of daily digital screen time was linked to approximately 21% higher odds of myopia in children and young people.
Understanding the link between screen time and myopia in children helps parents protect growing eyes, lower the risk of child myopia, and feel more confident about decisions around devices, homework, and play.
With the right habits, families can support healthy screen time and eyesight, encourage more outdoor play, and pick up early signs of short-sighted kids before school or sport becomes a struggle. Local support from optometrists like Bayside Eyecare means parents can get clear answers about their child’s vision and practical options for myopia control when it’s needed.
Understanding Myopia In Children
What Is Myopia?
Myopia, or short-sightedness, is when distant objects look blurry while close-up things appear clear. In children that often shows up as trouble seeing the board at school, squinting at signs, or sitting very close to the TV. It happens because the eye grows too long from front to back, so light focuses in front of the retina instead of directly on it. Spotting myopia early and keeping it from progressing quickly is important for long-term eye health.
How Myopia Develops In Kids
Kids’ eyes are still growing, so they’re more sensitive to lifestyle factors. Long stretches of close work, limited time outdoors, and family history all play a role in how likely a child is to develop myopia. If one or both parents are short-sighted, their child has a higher chance of becoming myopic too.
Most children who develop myopia start to change between 6 and 12 years of age, though it can begin earlier. Once it appears, the prescription often increases every 6 to 12 months during the school years, especially if kids spend lots of time on close-up tasks and very little time outside.
Signs Your Child May Be Developing Myopia
Parents often notice small changes first. Common signs of child myopia include:
- Squinting or frowning to see distant objects
- Sitting very close to the TV or holding screens and books close
- Complaints of blurry vision when looking at the board at school or during sport
- Frequent headaches, eye rubbing, or tired eyes after near tasks
- Avoiding ball sports or activities that rely on distance vision
If any of these sound familiar, an eye test can confirm what’s going on and help slow down myopia progression before it starts to affect school, sport, and confidence.
Screen Time And Eyesight In Children
Effects Of Prolonged Device Use On Eyesight
Long stretches on tablets, phones, and computers keep a child’s eyes locked at one fixed, close distance. That constant near focus can lead to tired eyes, headaches, and difficulty switching focus from near to far, especially at school. Kids might start rubbing their eyes, losing concentration, or complaining that things in the distance look fuzzy once they look up from a screen.
Screen time and eyesight are closely linked because many kids use devices for homework, gaming, and relaxing. When those sessions run back-to-back with little movement or outdoor time, the visual system works harder for longer. Over time, this pattern can contribute to child myopia progressing faster, especially when combined with a family history of short-sightedness and limited time outside.
Can Screen Time Damage Eyes?
Current evidence points to how screens are used rather than the screen itself. The big issue is long uninterrupted near work and a lack of daylight exposure, not an iPad or computer screen on its own. Regular breaks and plenty of outdoor play help protect growing eyes even when kids use screens daily.
Many short-sighted kids spend hours on close-up tasks without realising they are straining their eyes. Simple rules such as holding devices at a comfortable distance, avoiding screens right up close to the face, and keeping good lighting in the room all reduce strain. When these habits combine with regular eye tests, parents can feel more confident that screen time fits into a healthy routine for their child’s vision.
Why Outdoor Time Matters For Eye Health
Benefits Of Natural Light & Outdoor Play For Child Myopia
Time outside is one of the strongest protectors against child myopia that research has found. Natural daylight sends a different signal to the eye than indoor light, helping to regulate eye growth. When kids run, explore, and look into the distance, their eyes keep changing focus instead of staying locked on one close point.
Outdoor play also encourages full-body movement and better posture. Kids look up, track moving objects, and use their peripheral vision, which gives the visual system a more varied workout. For short-sighted kids, building more outdoor time into the week can help slow down further prescription changes, especially when combined with professional myopia control.
Recommended Daily Outdoor Activity For Healthy Eyes
As a guide, aiming for around two hours of outdoor time spread across the day is a helpful target for many school-aged kids. The goal is regular daylight exposure, not a single big session once in a while.
Outdoor time doesn’t need to be playing a sport. Free play in the backyard, walking the dog, riding a bike, or kicking a ball at the local oval all count. Choosing a couple of simple outdoor habits that fit your family’s routine makes it easier to keep your child’s eyes, body, and mind healthier in the long run.
Simple Daily Habits For Healthy Eyes
Managing Screen Time At Home And School
Clear rules help kids feel secure with screens. A simple approach is to set daily limits that match your child’s age and school load, then decide where and when screens are allowed. Many families find it helpful to:
- Keep screens out of bedrooms and at the dining table
- Use a “screen finish time” at least an hour before bed
- Group screen use into planned blocks, not all day grazing
- Make homework the first priority, then leisure screen time afterwards
If teachers share that your child struggles to see the board or concentrate after using a device, that’s useful feedback. A quick chat with the teacher about screen use in class, and any concerns about distance vision, can complete the picture before an eye test.
Visual Breaks & The 20-20-20 Rule
Regular breaks give the focusing system time to reset. The 20-20-20 rule is an easy one for kids to remember: every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 feet (about 6 metres) away for 20 seconds. Parents can set reminders on a device or use natural pauses, like the end of a video or game level.
For younger kids, a break might mean standing up, stretching, and looking out the window. Older children can walk to fill a drink bottle, talk to a parent, or play with a family pet. These tiny pauses reduce eye strain and support healthier patterns for screen time and myopia in children.
Balanced Lifestyle Tips For Short-Sighted Kids
Short-sighted kids often cope well at school once their prescription is correct and their routine supports eye health. Helpful habits include:
- Keeping reading material and screens at a comfortable arm’s length
- Using good lighting for homework and crafts
- Mixing close-up hobbies with sport or active play
- Planning regular outdoor time on school days and weekends
- Sticking to recommended follow-up eye tests
Small consistent changes like these help protect eyesight, support myopia control treatment, and keep kids more comfortable through busy school terms.
When To Seek Professional Advice
Kids rarely complain about blurry vision, so regular eye tests are the easiest way to keep track of how well your child sees the board, reads, and manages long days at school. If you’ve noticed changes of concern, a comprehensive assessment with your children’s optometrist can confirm whether myopia is present and how quickly it’s changing.
When short-sightedness is diagnosed, the team at Bayside Eyecare can tailor a myopia control plan with clear guidance on which options best suit your child’s age, lifestyle, and level of screen use.
Protect Your Child’s Vision With Bayside Eyecare
Screen time and myopia in children are closely linked. It helps when kids get plenty of outdoor time, take regular visual breaks, and use devices within clear limits. With small consistent habits around homework, gaming, and play, parents can support comfortable vision, better focus at school, and healthier eyes over time.
If you’re in Brighton or the wider Bayside area and you’ve noticed your child struggling, Bayside Eyecare can help with clear answers and tailored myopia control options. Book a myopia control consultation by making an appointment online or calling (03) 9909 5329.
FAQ
Can Too Much Screen Time Really Cause Myopia In Kids?
Too much screen time is linked with a higher risk of myopia, especially when kids spend little time outdoors. Long periods of close focus can encourage the eye to grow longer. Regular breaks, outdoor play and an eye test help manage that risk.
How Much Outdoor Time Is Ideal For Children’s Eye Health?
Around two hours a day outside is a useful target for most school-aged kids. Walks, playground time, sport and backyard play all count. The aim is regular daylight exposure spread through the day to support healthy eye development.
What Are Myopia Control Options Available At Bayside Eyecare?
Bayside Eyecare offers myopia control glasses, soft contact lenses, overnight orthokeratology lenses and low-dose atropine eye drops. Your optometrist looks at your child’s age, prescription and lifestyle, then recommends a plan to keep vision clear and slow prescription changes.
Can Screen Time Damage Eyes, Or Is It A Myth?
Long, uninterrupted near work and limited outdoor time can raise myopia risk and cause eye strain, especially when kids spend many hours on screens. Sensible screen limits, regular breaks and daily outdoor play protect comfort and long-term eye health.