Generally, most people will have this concept that myopia (nearsightedness) is usually caused by us spending too much time reading books, watching TV, and playing with computers. This concept is so deeply rooted that I believe most of us have heard about it since young.
But, guess what? It’s not entirely true. It’s because of sunlight actually and is one of the main reasons. Reading a book, watching TV, and playing with a computer are indoor activities, we don’t get exposed to the outside sunlight that much and this is what causes myopia (nearsightedness) to happen.
No joke! It has been validated through research.
Dr. Donald O. Muti of Ohio State University and Dr. Ian Morgan of the Australian National University have unanimously mentioned that the lack of sunlight exposure is one of the main factors for the progression of myopia in children.
From the research, it was found that sunlight has serious effects on the retina, ciliary muscles, cornea, choroid and sclera, and dopamine. Therefore, it is recommended that we expose ourselves two to three hours of sunlight each day to prevent the development or increase of myopia. This is particularly important to kids.
Hmm… you may ask, now that we are under MCO, how do we get sunlight then?
Simple! During this MCO, each day do spend some time sitting by the window area and get some sunlight. Yes, the sunlight you get may not be as good as outdoors, but at least it can bring some good impact. As a parent, please remind your kids to do so!
Lastly, would like to emphasize this again. Remember to follow the “20-20-20” rule also, every 20 minutes, look at an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Hope today’s sharing is beneficial to you! And, good job everyone! Let’s continue to work together to fight the epidemic!
