As if excessive social media exposure isn’t dangerous enough, with adverse effects on mental health, it can also cause nearsightedness in children. Louisiana Deputy Surgeon General Dr. Wyche Coleman says using objects up close like phone screens makes their eyes grow longer and could cause permanent complications.
“People with extreme myopia, prescriptions that are greater than like a -8. That’s a pretty long eye, and it can cause the retina to thin, leading to increased risk of retinal detachment and permanent decreased vision for your whole life,” Coleman explained.
Dr. Coleman says the best way for kids to prevent near-sightedness is to put the phone down and go play outside.
“One hour of natural sunlight exposure can significantly decrease the risk of progressive myopia or near-sidedness in kids,” Coleman said.
Coleman says if kids use the fact that it’s an overcast day as an excuse to stay indoors, tell him or her that that’s no excuse.
“On a cloudy day you may have 60,000 lumens of light outside, but in the brightest lit indoor room it’s only 6,000. So even outdoor on a cloudy day is 10 times as bright as indoors,” Coleman noted.