How much screen time is too much? Researchers have an answer, noting implications for kids

Researchers found a link between digital screens and the risk of developing nearsightedness, or myopia. (Pexels)

Spending a certain amount of time in front of digital screens such as smartphones and computers increases the chance of developing nearsightedness, researchers suggest, noting the implications for children.

An analysis looked at results in participants of varying ages, with an average participant age of 9.3. Researchers pointed to the potential implications for children specifically, as they “increasingly embrace smart devices at younger ages.”

Researchers examined the effect of digital screens on the risk of developing nearsightedness, or myopia, evaluating dozens of studies for possible links to the amount of time screens were viewed. Participants in the studies reported using devices such as smartphones, tablets, game consoles, computers and televisions.

Researchers found that the odds of developing myopia increased significantly after a certain amount of time. Participants who spent more than one hour on digital screens were more likely to be diagnosed with the condition, increasing in one-hour increments for the first four hours. The results suggested the odds rose “more gradually” after four hours per day.

Researchers suggest this might indicate “a potential safety threshold of less than one hour per day of exposure,” meaning limiting screen time to less than an hour a day could lessen the risk.

Researchers assessed 45 studies involving 335,524 individuals for the analysis published Friday in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Medical Association. They said the analysis had limitations including lack of objective measures to assess myopia and data on long-term changes.

Article edited by CTVNews.ca’s Kendra Mangione