Light exposure and childhood myopia

There is evidence in many countries globally that the prevalence of myopia is on the rise. Advances in measurement technology now allow many environmental factors potentially associated with the development and progression of myopia to be quantified reliably and sampled densely. Our recent prospective longitudinal study of Australian schoolchildren, utilising wearable sensor technology has provided the first direct evidence of a significant relationship between personal ambient light exposure and eye growth in childhood; demonstrating that greater daily light exposure is associated with slower eye growth. These findings support the potential for interventions aimed at increasing daily outdoor light exposure, to reduce the development and progression of myopia in childhood. Key Takeaways: • There is evidence of a rapid increase in myopia prevalence in recent decades in many developed countries. • An improved understanding of the environmental factors underlying eye growth and myopia in childhood is crucial for developing effective myopia control interventions. • Recent work utilising wearable sensors demonstrates the first direct evidence of a relationship between lower daily light exposure and faster axial eye growth. • Less than 60 minutes of bright outdoor light exposure appears to be a risk factor for faster eye growth and hence myopia development and progression in childhood. • These results support the potential for myopia control through increased daily light exposure (e.g. interventions to increase daily time outdoors)