Get the latest tech news

Outdoor time is good for kids' eyesight

. Here's why By Maria Godoy Monday, May 13, 2024 • 5:00 AM EDT Heard on Morning Edition If you're a parent struggling to get your kids' off their devices and outdoors to play, here's another reason to keep trying: Spending at least two hours outside each day is one of the most important things your kids can do to protect their eyesight.

" We think that outdoor time is the best form of prevention for nearsightedness," says Dr. Noha Ekdawi, a pediatric ophthalmologist in Wheaton, Ill. He knew from animal studies that light stimulates the eye to release the neurotransmitter dopamine, which can slow the eyeball from stretching. And after decades of trending upward, the rate of myopia among Taiwan's elementary school students began falling – from an all-time high of 50% in 2011 down to 45.1% by 2015.

Get the Android app