Image by Pexels from Pixabay
Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Just 1 hour of screen time a day increases kids' risk of being short-sighted

Embargoed until: Publicly released:
Peer-reviewed: This work was reviewed and scrutinised by relevant independent experts.

Observational study: A study in which the subject is observed to see if there is a relationship between two or more things (eg: the consumption of diet drinks and obesity). Observational studies cannot prove that one thing causes another, only that they are linked.

People: This is a study based on research using people.

The old wives tale that too much screen time will give you square eyes, may contain a grain of truth, with researchers finding that an hour spent in front of screens increases kids' risk of myopia - or short-sightedness - by 21%. The Korean research pulled together 45 studies looking at over 300,000 kids, and found that the risk of myopia increased significantly between one to four hours of daily screen time, and then rose more gradually after four hours.

Journal/conference: JAMA Network Open

Research: Paper

Organisation/s: Seoul National University College of Medicine, South Korea

Funder: This study was supported by a 2024 scientific promotion program funded by Jeju National University (grant No. C3197).

Media release

From: JAMA

Digital Screen Time and Nearsightedness

JAMA Network Open
Original Investigation

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is an online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. On weekdays, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

About The Study: In this systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis, a daily 1-hour increment in digital screen time was associated with 21% higher odds of myopia (nearsightedness) and the dose-response pattern exhibited a sigmoidal shape, indicating a potential safety threshold of less than 1 hour per day of exposure, with an increase in odds up to 4 hours. These findings can offer guidance to clinicians and researchers regarding myopia risk.

Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Young Kook Kim, PhD, email md092@naver.com.

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.60026)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

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