Can Playing Outdoors Improve Children’s Eyesight?

It’s no secret that the past decade has seen the rise of smartphone culture in the U.S. Eighty-four percent of Americans now own smartphones, to say nothing of the number that have computers and televisions as well. All those devices stack up to some serious screen time, and while that might be less than healthy for adults, it can be much worse for children. We know that this is taking a toll on our kids’ overall health – after all, more time on screens means less time moving and socializing in person. One of the best remedies for those problems is getting kids to play outside, whether it’s a neighborhood game of kick the can or an adventure in the woods. But can playing outdoors also improve children’s eyesight?

If you’ve been reading Rebuild Your Vision for a while, you know that the link between vision health and screentime is strong, and for all the wrong reasons. Increased screen time can lead to a host of issues, ranging from digital eye strain to myopia. Children and teens are officially recommended to have only around two hours of screen time per day, a number that only around 20 percent actually follow. No wonder we start to notice more vision problems in children when school starts!

The solution? It’s pretty simple: get your kids to play outside instead of sitting inside on their phones. This will give their thumbs, but most importantly, their eyes, a break from the strain of the endless scroll. Today, we’ll explore a few of the reasons why your kids’ eye health might be in sore need of a bit of nature.

Does Spending Time Outdoors Reduce Myopia in Children?

As we’ve discussed before, unfortunately, nearsightedness is on the rise across the globe. More scientifically known as myopia, this condition is often linked to too much close work, whether that be reading a book, crafting, or most often, staring at a screen for a large portion of the day. And, this issue tends to be more prevalent in children ages 5-19.

Myopia is relatively easy to handle with corrective lenses – or surgery – but it still poses a potentially serious risk to affected kids. While it seems like an easy fix, the stigma that comes with wearing glasses often means that kids choose to go without (without telling their parents, of course). This can have long-term impacts on their education and achievement in school. If your child is struggling in school, it might be worth getting their vision checked.

The causes of myopia are still somewhat obscure, though most researchers point to a combination of factors. Some of these include genetics and reading habits. Some have also posited that spending too much time indoors might play a role. Most importantly, a recent study showed that increased time playing outside significantly reduces a child’s risk of developing myopia. The benefits of outdoor play for children with myopia are many, too – the research suggests that outdoor play may even be able to reverse myopia in some cases.

Sunlight and Your Child’s Eyes

The reasoning behind this finding may have to do with light. Higher access to UV rays proved to be more beneficial to students’ eyes. While the reasons behind the benefits of sun on eyes aren’t perfectly understood, it does at least seem clear that curtailing time spent watching movies in the house or scrolling social media might considerably boost a child’s chances of avoiding myopia.

Experts recommend that parents consider how much time a child should spend outdoors to support healthy vision, physical activity, and overall well-being. While there isn’t a hard and fast rule, balancing outdoor time with indoor time is a great place to start. Of course, always make sure they wear the proper eye protection!

The Importance of Outdoor Play for Children’s Development

If you’re a parent wondering, “How can I improve my child’s eyesight naturally?” it’s pretty clear that one of the best ways is to encourage them to play outside. After all, maintaining children’s eye health is an important goal for many of our readers. Outdoor play away from the screen is one of the easiest and most natural ways to avoid myopia.

But spending time outside isn’t only good for vision and physical health. It’s also great for your child’s social life! Allowing them to make friends with the neighbor kids or kids they meet at the park is a great way to reduce social anxiety and allow them to develop independence. And, as more and more kids have access to smartphones and tablets, it’s clear that more of these skills will continue to erode as time passes.

While worries that overuse of digital devices could negatively impact social skills are nothing new, it’s still surprising to see how quickly they can change our ability to interact with other people. And, while important, booting kids outdoors, while important, might not always be enough. The new boom in smartphone use means that parents will have to take steps to limit screen time away from the house as well – think about helping your child find areas of interest that limit smartphone use. Athletic teams or outdoor clubs are both great options. After all, we know that exercise improves eye health!

Tips and Tricks for Outdoor Play

While we usually leave parenting advice to other blogs, we do have some advice on making sure that children don’t encounter the full effects of excess screen time. First, know your limits – the government-recommended maximum screen time for most children is two hours per day. Below the age of two, the daily recommended time is zero. Yes, that even goes for educational TV shows. Your child’s eyes are at their most vulnerable early in life, so it’s important to protect them!

Take special care to discourage smartphone use before bed for your children. The blue light that the screens emit can wreak havoc on normal sleep cycles. This will leave your kids groggy and short on rest.

Beyond that, do everything you can to encourage an active, adventurous life at home. School, once a sure place for a child to interact and explore, isn’t quite what it used to be. Recess has been slashed in many schools, removing some of the outdoor time a student would usually have. Classrooms are also increasingly turning to smartphones and tablets as learning aids. While effective, this practice also means that kids get even more screen time at school. As a result, more of an onus is now on parents to promote healthy practices.

To counteract this, when children get home from school, send them out back to run around for at least 30 minutes. If the weather won’t permit it, encourage other, non-screen-related activities before kids start their homework. Have them fix their own snack or play a quick board game. This will help give your child’s eyes the rest they need before returning to the computer for homework.

Good Eye Health Starts with You

Start with yourself – adopt eye-healthy practices, like taking daily vitamins and putting the computer down when your child comes home from school. Look for hobbies that you can do with your kids that get them away from screens. While settling in to watch a football game is fun, actually playing a short round of pass will pay greater dividends in keeping your child’s vision healthy. While researchers continue to explore how and whether playing outside improves eyesight, the results so far are overwhelmingly positive.