One hour of daily screen time may be ‘safety threshold’ for myopia risk

Researchers have analysed the findings of 45 studies to evaluate the relationship between time spent on screens and myopia risk

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A child sits looking at a smartphone, the light shining on his face in a dimly lit room

Getty/Orbon Alija

Selina Powell

28 February 2025

A systematic review published in JAMA Network Open has explored the relationship between daily screen time and myopia risk.

Researchers from South Korea and Ireland examined 45 studies involving 335,524 participants. The studies all investigated the association between exposure to digital devices, such as smartphones, tablets, game consoles, computers, or television, with myopia.

They found that myopia risk increased significantly from one to four hours of daily screen time, with a more gradual increase in myopia risk after this point.

The authors report that each additional hour of daily screentime is associated with a 21% higher risk of myopia.

“Notably, the association remained insignificant for screen time exposure of up to one hour per day, suggesting a potential safety threshold,” the authors shared.

The researchers highlighted that the association between prolonged near-work and myopia risk is well-established.

“As a quintessential form of near-vision work, the use of smart devices has been considered to have a significant association with increased risk of myopia,” they highlighted.