Fresh myopia study hails great outdoors

Further research findings have supported the theory that children who spend more time outdoors have a reduced risk of developing myopia.

An academic study using a range of evidence concluded that for each additional hour spent outdoors per week, the chance of myopia dropped by approximately 2 per cent.

Dr Anthony Khawaja of the University of Cambridge presented the findings at last week's American Academy of Ophthalmology. The analysis drew from eight studies on outdoor time and myopia in children and adolescents, representing 10,400 participants.

Myopic children were found to spend on average 3.7 fewer hours per week outdoors than those who either had normal vision or were hyperopic.