#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Living In Thailand Forum >  >  > The Family Room >  >  Forget the Carrots ... Read a book AND play outside more often.

## David48atTD

Didn't know to post this in the Family or the Medical Forum ... but since it Kid's Eyes ... here will do.

Short-sightedness, or myopia, a global epidemic as children spend less time outdoors



A précis of the News article is along the lines of that it's been my assumption that short-sightedness is caused by too many books and use of computers and tablets etc, but recent research does refute the claim.

While that might a contributing factor, it's not the root cause.

Get your child into the outdoors if you want to help  them avoid having vision issues later in life  that's the message from  researchers looking into an expected increase in the worldwide rate of  short-sightedness.

The World Health Organisation has said  short-sightedness, or myopia, already affects about 30 per cent of the  world's population.

That figure is expected to rise to 50 per cent  by 2050 and researchers believe it will mainly be down to one thing   all the time children are spending indoors.

At first it was thought the jump in non-genetic myopia must be due to  children spending more time on computers, smart phones and iPads.
But  many researchers now agree that it is not the devices, but a related  issue. Increased myopia is most likely caused by children spending less  time outside.

"*An eye that's myopic is an eye that's growing too  fast, too quickly* and what we are actually thinking may be occurring is  that when children spend time outdoors they are getting enough release  of retinal dopamine to actually regulate the growth of their eye,"  Professor Rose said.

Balance of the Article

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## thaimeme

Short-mindedness is much more of a serious and widespread affliction.

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## Chittychangchang

It's difficult in practice living in a country were it rains half of the year. You have to make a special effort to get them to play outside these days because of "screens! ".
Most of their friends are wired into the web via  Ps4, x box etc.
Not like it was in the good old days when you only went home to eat and sleep.

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## wasabi

^ the good thing about the new lifestyle of young children is you know where they are, at home and not roaming the streets and standing in bored groups outside the convenience shop.

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## Chittychangchang

True enough, kids were left to run feral in the past. 
Now as parents we get to spend more time with them, not complaining. 
Think it's for the better IMHO.

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