22 May 2025
This year’s Myopia Awareness Week (May 19–25) focuses on lifestyle habits that can help to maintain healthy sight.
Myopia Awareness Week encourages members of the public to adopt four essential habits for myopia prevention and management – including daily outdoor time as well as healthy screen and near-work habits.
To mark the annual awareness week, OT approached optometrists for their insight on the key lifestyle messages practitioners can convey to patients and their families in order to delay the onset and limit progression of myopia.
Balancing breaktime and books
Optometrist and practice director of Peter Ivins Eye Care, Craig McArthur, shared with OT that he encourages at least 90 minutes of daily outdoor time – a task that is not always easy in Scotland “where it rains sideways half of the year.”
“Encouraging children to take up an outdoor sport is a good way to achieve this,” McArthur highlighted.
He also encourages young patients to take breaks from screentime and other forms of near-work, such as reading and homework.
McArthur noted that reducing time on digital devices is often a message that parents get on board with.
“Reducing superfluous recreational handheld screen time, particularly on phones and tablets, is the low hanging fruit here,” he said.
Optometrist and clinical director at Tompkins Knight and Son Optometrists, Dr Keyur Patel, shared that one of the key messages he conveys to both parents and grandparents is the importance of early and regular assessment for myopia among children.
Global myopia prevalence *
Patel highlighted that encouraging daily outdoor time in children is positive for general wellbeing as well as preventing the onset of myopia.
He will also discuss with children and their families the amount of time spent on near-work – both digital and analogue – as well as the importance of taking breaks, working distance and good lighting.
Evidence-based advice
Clinical lead optometrist at Cameron Optometry, Gillian Bruce, shared that she provides all children – especially those with a family history of myopia – both verbal and written advice that focuses on practical, evidence-based lifestyle changes.
She recommends that children aim to spend between one and two hours outdoors each day.
“Walking to school or spending break and lunch times outside can help achieve this during the winter months,” Bruce shared.
She encourages young people to take regular breaks from looking at screens or reading following the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
When it comes to providing guidance on working distance, Bruce shared that the ‘elbow rule’ is helpful. Children are advised to hold their book or device at least the length of their forearm away.
Bruce emphasised that balance is key when it comes to healthy lifestyle habits.
“A mix of physical activity, outdoor play, and academic or screen-based tasks helps to avoid long periods of near work,” she said.
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