Does Spending More Time Outside Help With Myopia?

With kids spending more time indoors on screens and near-work activities, many parents are asking an important question: Does spending more time outside actually help prevent or slow myopia? Let’s explore how outdoor time affects myopia, why regular pediatric eye exams matter, and how modern myopia management treatments can help protect your child’s long-term vision.

How Outdoor Time Impacts Myopia

Studies have shown that children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to develop myopia. Natural light appears to play a key role in healthy eye development by:

• Stimulating dopamine release in the retina, which helps regulate eye growth

• Encouraging distance vision rather than constant near focus

• Reducing prolonged screen and close-up work time

Experts generally recommend at least 1-2 hours of outdoor time per day for children when possible. While outdoor activity alone may not completely prevent myopia, it can significantly reduce the risk of onset, especially in younger children.

Can Outdoor Time Slow Myopia Progression?

While spending time outside is effective in lowering the risk of developing myopia, its impact on slowing progression once myopia has already started is more limited. Once a child is myopic, the eye continues to grow longer than normal, which increases the prescription over time and raises the risk of future eye health issues such as retinal detachment, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Outdoor time should be viewed as part of a broader myopia management strategy, not a standalone solution.

The Importance of Pediatric Eye Exams

Regular pediatric eye exams are critical for detecting myopia early and tracking how quickly it is progressing. Many children don’t realize their vision is changing, and parents may not notice subtle signs until myopia has already advanced.

At InVision Eye Health, pediatric eye exams allow our doctors to:

• Identify myopia at its earliest stages

• Measure changes in prescription over time

• Monitor eye growth patterns

• Determine when myopia management treatment is appropriate

Early intervention is key. The sooner myopia is identified, the more effectively its progression can be managed.

Myopia Management: Going Beyond Glasses

Traditional glasses and contact lenses correct blurry vision, but they do not slow myopia progression. Myopia management treatments are specifically designed to address eye growth and help reduce how quickly prescriptions worsen. One of the most advanced and well-studied options is MiSight® contact lenses.

MiSight Contact Lenses for Myopia Control

MiSight contact lenses are FDA-approved daily disposable lenses designed for children with myopia. They work by correcting vision while simultaneously sending signals to slow abnormal eye growth.

Benefits of MiSight lenses include:

• Proven reduction in myopia progression

• Comfortable, daily disposable design

• Freedom from glasses for active kids

• Safe and effective for long-term use

MiSight lenses are most effective when started early and combined with routine eye exams to monitor results and make adjustments as needed.

Creating a Balanced Approach to Myopia Care

The most effective way to manage myopia combines multiple strategies, including:

• Encouraging daily outdoor play

• Limiting excessive screen and near-work time

• Scheduling regular pediatric eye exams

• Implementing evidence-based myopia management treatments when needed

This proactive approach helps protect not only your child’s current vision, but also their long-term eye health.

Schedule Your Child’s Eye Exam Today

Spending more time outside can help reduce the risk of developing myopia and supports healthy eye development, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. Once myopia begins, regular monitoring through pediatric eye exams and targeted myopia management treatments play a crucial role in slowing progression and protecting lifelong vision.

If you’re concerned about your child’s vision or want to take a proactive approach to myopia management, schedule a pediatric eye exam at InVision Eye Health today. Visit our office in Sandy, Utah, or call (801) 495-2020 to book an appointment.