Editor’s note: This article has been reprinted. First published December 19, 2016.
Sunshine is good for you. It’s really good for you. In fact, one study found that people who spend time outdoors in the sunlight, especially teenagers, have better vision later in life.
Conversely, people who don’t get much sunlight in their teens or early 20s can expect the opposite. Types of Vision Problems According to Research1 Myopia, a type of myopia, was found to have improved.
Researchers from King’s College London, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and other universities reviewed 371 Europeans with myopia and 2,797 people aged 65 or older without myopia.
Each participant underwent an eye exam, had a blood sample drawn, and was interviewed about their health behaviors over the past year. We estimated exposure to ultraviolet B rays primarily between 9 AM and 5 PM and 11 AM and 3 PM.
People who were most exposed to ultraviolet B radiation, especially teenagers and young adults ages 14 to 29, had a 30 percent lower risk of myopia, which is the inability to see clearly in the distance, compared to those with the least exposure. However, this link was not intended to prove cause and effect, just a connection.
Researchers wrote that myopia is becoming increasingly common and is increasingly associated with complications that can ultimately threaten people’s vision or cause complications. They added that exposing yourself to sunlight is actually protective, but most people don’t know this.
In only a few cases is myopia considered a genetic problem. But the study authors say that while the environment appears to be linked to myopia, it’s not yet clear what it is.
Problems of today’s children
It is noteworthy that 80-90% of East Asian teenagers these days have myopia problems, and in Europe and the United States,2 It’s about 40-50%. Studies have shown that it is more common in people with higher education and less common in people who regularly spend time outdoors.
“Over the past five years, as outdoor time has increased in Taiwanese schools, the prevalence of myopia has decreased for the first time in 40 years,” said vision researcher and visiting fellow Dr. Ian Morgan. The Australian National University did not participate in the study.
According to a survey conducted in the UK (which is likely a good representative of youth around the world), not only do one in five people who can be called “children” spend 0% of their time outdoors, but even worse, 75% . They spend less time outdoors than prison inmates.
Nature.org found that the reason for this phenomenon was that 80% of children “did not feel comfortable being outdoors due to bugs, heat, etc.” 60% said they did not have transportation to travel to natural areas.
visible light
Factors such as climate, topography and geographical coordinates were also closely examined in the study, as some climates tend to be rainy or foggy. In some parts of the world, innovative methods have been used to solve the problem of mountains blocking sunlight.
One of the studies covered in the review concluded that each additional hour spent outdoors per week reduced the odds of ending up with myopia by 2%.3
According to U.S. News & World Report, scientists involved in the study say they are not sure whether the current prevalence of myopathy means that sunlight exposure has a positive effect on vision. It may actually be “visible light.” Dr. Donald Mutti, a professor at the Ohio State University College of Optometry, explained:
“Here, UVB seems to simply represent spending more time outside. Current thinking is that external bright light stimulates the release of dopamine from the retina, and that dopamine slows eye growth, preventing myopia.
Our group’s research has shown that outdoor activity only has an effect before myopia develops. “If a child needs glasses, being outside has no effect on myopia.”4
Muti said children should spend more time outside, but they should also wear sunglasses and sunscreen. However, these have the potential to cause other, more serious problems.
Should I wear sunglasses or not?
In fact, “protecting” your eyes from sunlight can do more harm than good. This is because certain wavelengths of light nourish the eyes. Shielding too often can prevent sunlight from being absorbed. This allows full spectrum light into the eyes to not only see, but also stimulate the hypothalamic gland in the brain.
The hypothalamus can be considered the master control for everything from blood pressure to body temperature. It is responsible for balancing the body clock and circadian rhythm, and natural light is essential for this process. Without it, your body has trouble functioning properly.
Think of it this way. Lack of light in the eyes, also known as lack of illumination, can be likened to malnutrition in the body. Not only does your bare skin need 20 minutes of sunlight every day, your eyes need it too. Mark’s Daily Apple records the results of one experiment:
“Researchers are trying to study the link between chicks exposed to different amounts of light and exposure to myopia. Normal laboratory lighting was 500 lux, ‘strong’ laboratory lighting was 15,000 lux, and sunlight was 30,000 lux.
Only intense laboratory lighting and sunlight were able to delay the progression of myopia, but regular laboratory lighting, which is still very bright and very similar to standard office lighting conditions, did not adequately protect against myopia.
Direct sunlight is incredibly bright (up to 130,000 lux), but just being outside in ‘broad daylight’ can provide enough light for the retinal dopamine laboratories.
Just be outdoors and the sun will do the rest. If you can see an object, it means that light is reaching your eyes. It’s from the sun (so it’s bright enough) so you can go.”5
But a note about going under the sun. If you eat a diet high in seed oils containing linoleic acid (LA), it is best to avoid intense sunlight exposure during peak hours. This is because seed oil can accumulate on the skin and then be oxidized by sunlight, causing inflammation and skin damage.
To protect your skin health, avoid seed oils and processed foods for at least six months to remove most of these harmful fats from your body, allowing you to reap the health benefits of the sun without the toxic side effects. After you completely remove LA from your diet, you can re-expose yourself to sunlight at midday.
Myopia associated with other eye diseases
Myopia is measured in diopters (D) in the same way that glasses and contact lenses are measured. Corrections are preceded by a minus sign (-) and are measured in increments of 0.25D. Myopia of -0.25 or -3.00 is considered mild, moderate can be 3.25 to -6.00, and higher myopia is considered high myopia.
Both moderate and high myopia can be associated with “serious, vision-threatening side effects,” called “degenerative” or “pathological.”
More people suffer from this condition today than just 30 years ago, and its prevalence is increasing steadily and alarmingly. In fact, in the early 1970s, it affected about 25% of people living in the United States. Thirty years later, that percentage has jumped to 42%.6
Myopia, for whatever reason, appears to contribute to the prevalence of other eye diseases, some of which are quite serious, including:
• Cataracts — Another study found that cataracts, which cause the lens of the eye to become increasingly opaque and blur vision, tend to develop more quickly in people with high myopathy, especially Koreans. Moreover, the results of cataract surgery are not very successful.
• Glaucoma — Glaucoma, a disease that causes damage to the optic nerve, is often associated with increased pressure inside the eye. Even mild myopia has a higher incidence of this eye disease.
An Australian study found that people with myopia are two to three times more likely to develop glaucoma than people without myopia.
• Retinal detachment — The American Journal of Epidemiology reported a study in which scientists concluded that myopia was “a clear risk factor for retinal detachment.”7 All about Vision:
“Eyes with mild myopia had a four-fold increased risk of retinal detachment compared to eyes without myopia. The risk increased tenfold in eyes with moderate and high myopia.”
The study also noted that about 55% of cases of retinal detachment that are not due to trauma may be due to myopia.8 Additionally, people with long eye shapes (axial myopia) have a 1.72% higher risk of developing this condition after cataract surgery, while people with round eye shapes have a 0.28% higher risk.
Does what you eat have anything to do with eye health?
Vitamin D levels also increase when a moderate amount of skin is exposed to sunlight, but the study authors said this was not associated with myopia. Researchers also noted:
“Encouraging children to spend time outdoors offers an attractive option and intervention research is ongoing. “However, it is unclear which of the numerous factors associated with time spent outdoors, such as light intensity, ultraviolet radiation (UVR), or distance focus, reduces the risk of myopia.”
The amount of sunlight your eyes are exposed to, as well as the foods you eat, affect your current and future vision. Harvard Health List9 There are many nutrients your body needs for optimal vision, and several foods provide them:
- Lutein and zeaxanthin can be found in several brassica foods, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, spinach, squash, and eggs.
- Animal-based omega-3 fatty acids are most abundant in wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, and krill. Remember to consume Omega-3 in moderation as it is also a polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) that is harmful when consumed in excess.
- Vitamin A is found in large quantities in apricots and melons.
- Vitamin C is contained in grapefruit, kiwi, oranges, peppers, and strawberries.
- Vitamin E is found in broccoli and spinach.
