Have you ever noticed that your child’s nearsightedness worsens more during or after winter? This is not a coincidence. Research shows that myopia tends to progress faster in winter compared to summer. In this blog, we will explain why and provide three useful tips to help slow down their prescription change during winter.
Why Myopia Progresses Faster in Winter
Several factors contribute to the accelerated progression of myopia in winter:
Reduced Outdoor Activity: During winter, colder weather and shorter daylight hours lead to decreased outdoor activities and reduced exposure to natural light. Natural light offers many benefits in slowing myopia progression. It has been shown to increase the release of dopamine, which inhibits the eyeball from growing longer—a primary cause of worsening nearsightedness. Additionally, natural light helps strengthen the eyeball structure, making it more resistant to changes that contribute to myopia progression.
Increased Indoor Time: With more time spent indoors, children are exposed to prolonged near work activities such as reading, studying, and screen time. These activities place a strain on the eyes, promoting myopia progression.
3 Tips for Optimizing Myopia Control in Winter
While the challenges of winter can’t be entirely avoided, there are effective strategies to help manage myopia during these colder months:
1. Regular Eye Tests
As more optometrists recognize the importance of myopia control, most children with nearsightedness are reviewed every 3 to 6 months. It’s essential to bring your children back for their reviews as recommended by your optometrist. This ensures their prescription and myopia control strategies are optimized, allowing for timely adjustments when necessary.
2. Maximize Outdoor Time
Encourage children to spend as much time as possible outdoors during daylight hours. Even in winter, exposure to natural light can help slow down myopia progression. While getting kids outside in cold weather can be challenging, consider encouraging them to play winter sports such as football and hockey. Additionally, weekend road trips or activities like snow outings can be excellent ways to ensure they spend more time outside.
3. Maintain Good Visual Hygiene Habits
During winter, children often spend more time indoors, leading to excessive near-distance viewing. To prevent eye strain, it’s essential to reinforce good habits with near tasks. Children should take a break every 20 minutes from any near-viewing activity and look at something far away for at least 20 seconds. Additionally, ensure they have good working posture and maintain a distance of at least 33 cm (about elbow length) from their books or devices. Avoid letting them read or use devices in dim lighting; introducing an extra reading light can be beneficial for children who love to read before bed.
Myopia Clinical Trial in Action at The Eye Collective
At The Eye Collective, we are committed to exploring innovative myopia control strategies. Over the past six months, we have been collaborating with the Nthalmic Research Centre to recruit participants for a clinical trial. This trial aims to test the effectiveness of a new myopia control technology called A.R.R.E.S.T.
We are seeking children between the ages of 7-15 who have myopia but have never had any form of myopia treatment before. Our goal is to pave the way for new and effective myopia control strategies for future generations. If your child meets the criteria, our optometrist will discuss this with you during your visit. You can also bring this up during your eye test if you are interested in learning more about this clinical trial.
By understanding the factors that contribute to myopia progression in winter and implementing these tips, you can help manage your child’s myopia more effectively. If you have any questions or want to know more about our clinical trial, feel free to discuss it with our optometrist during your next visit. Together, we can work towards better eye health and vision for your child.