A graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Brett Paepke spent 15 years
in clinical practice before transitioning to a leadership position in the health IT industry. Through roles such as Chief Compliance Officer, Director of Product Development, and Director of ECP Services, he has led EHR product strategy and compliance teams, created support services for clinicians, and interfaced directly with government agencies such as The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the former Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and associated Heath IT test labs and certification bodies. Brett has also led a “friendly” medical record review service aimed at helping clinicians develop confidence in their approaches to documentation and coding.
Finding the Balance: How Screen Time Affects Myopia Development
When I was a kid and exceptionally skilled at irritating my parents, they’d jokingly tell me to go play in the street. At least I hope they were joking. These days, my dad—an optometrist for over 40 years—likes to point to research on sunlight exposure and myopia prevention as proof that he wasn’t actually suggesting I risk life and limb in traffic, but rather that a little time outdoors might spare me from needing glasses. Thanks, Dad. I almost believe you.
As eye care professionals, we know that genetics play a major role in the determination of refractive error. However, we also know that environmental factors - how we use our eyes –contribute. As an example, a wealth of research supports a link between digital device use and myopia in children. Somewhat surprisingly, however, there’s been relatively little work done on exploring the relationship between the actual amount of screen time and its relationship to myopia development (aka the dose-response association).
A recently published review, aimed to fill this gap by analyzing data from 45 historical studies covering over 300,000 participants. The findings:
- Screen time exposure of up to one hour per day showed a statistically insignificant association with myopia development
- For each hour of screen time between one and four, the odds of developing myopia increased significantly
- Beyond four hours, the odds of developing myopia increased at a slower rate
So, is one hour really the “magic number”? As with most research, it’s important to keep study approach and limitations in mind. For example, this review evaluated the impact of screen time without considering other near-point activities like reading or writing. And since it’s likely that collective near-point activities contribute to myopia risk, one should not bank on the idea that less than one hour of screen time alone would result in no myopia development.
How should we apply this information when advising patients and parents? Ultimately, this study supports the concept that, like most things, moderation is key. The more digital screen time (and near point activity overall) there is, the greater the risk of myopia. And by helping patients and parents navigate screen time wisely, we can take meaningful steps toward reducing myopia risk and promoting lifelong eye health.
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