With the technology boom, more and more children are finding entertainment inside instead of outdoors than ever before. Study after study shows the harm of blue light on the eyes, which is the type of light coming from your iPad, TV, smartphone or other electronic screen. What can we do, then, to protect our children’s eyes and vision? The answer may be simpler than we originally thought.
Besides limiting screen time, a recent study has shown that encouraging your kids to be outside in the sunlight can help prevent them from becoming myopic, or nearsighted. According to Popular Science, researchers monitored sunlight exposure of about 100 children – of which 40 percent were nearsighted and 60 percent had normal vision – during a study span of 18 months. Surprisingly, the researchers found that nearsighted children with less exposure to sunlight had worsened vision.
With the alarming increase of nearsightedness around the world – nearly half the world population is expected to be myopic by 2050, reports Popular Science – research on the factors that may be causing this increase is very important for the healthy vision of our children. The researchers who worked on this study suggest children should spend one to two hours a day outdoors to help prevent or even slow the progression of nearsightedness. This is because they believe that exposure to higher intensity light, such as that from sunlight, is believed to have a greater influence on the development of the eye than previously thought, meaning that getting time in both bright sunlight, dim indoor lighting and low-light levels helps the eye to properly develop and maintain accuracy of vision.
Of course, there are still risks to your children when exposed to sunlight, which is why using sunscreen and sunglasses during their time outdoors are great precautions. Real Kids Shades offers a variety of sunglasses in different sizes and styles for kids of all ages. It is essential that your children spend time outside for their well-being, and having a sturdy pair of sunglasses helps protect their eyes from damaging UVA and UVB rays while they are out having fun. Designed to block 100 percent of the sun’s harmful rays, you can’t go wrong with a pair of affordable sunglasses from Real Kids Shades.
As the leader in sun protection for children’s eyes, Real Kids Shades’ top priority is safe eyes – everyday! Check out our full selection of sunglasses online for children of all ages, and find the perfect pair of shades for your kids today!