{"id":16732,"date":"2021-08-09T16:17:04","date_gmt":"2021-08-09T16:17:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=16732"},"modified":"2021-08-09T16:18:31","modified_gmt":"2021-08-09T16:18:31","slug":"does-reading-cause-myopia-in-children","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-pediatric-eye-conditions\/what-is-myopia\/does-reading-cause-myopia-in-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Reading Cause Myopia in Children?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you noticed more children are wearing eyeglasses?<\/b><\/h2>\n

We\u2019ve all seen the stereotype of the studious, \u2018nerdy\u2019 kid wearing a thick pair of glasses. But are more children now wearing glasses and has reading raised the risk that a child will become myopic (nearsighted)?<\/p>\n

Researchers have been trying to figure that out.<\/p>\n

A study published in Ophthalmology (2014), was conducted on 4,658 people aged between 35 and 74 years, over 50% of all university graduates were myopic, compared with 34% of non-graduates.<\/p>\n

What is myopia?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Myopia<\/a> (short-sighted) is corrected with glasses or contact lenses,<\/a> and while glasses are becoming more fashionable<\/a>, short-sightedness is still undesirable as it can cause the development of eye conditions that can lead to vision loss later in life.<\/p>\n

So, aside from preventing your child from going to university (because let\u2019s be honest, we don\u2019t want to discourage that), what can you do to lessen the chances of your child becoming myopic?<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re concerned about your child\u2019s myopia, contact an eye doctor near you.<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

SEE RELATED:<\/strong> The Benefits of Outdoor Play for Children with Myopia<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t

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