It's not just looking outside that is important to eye health, it's also being outside.
"When they're physically outdoors, they're not having to use all their eye muscles to see at near," Patel said. "They can focus on the distance naturally. That's another reason outdoor play is healthier for children, even from an eye standpoint. The outdoors lend itself to looking far away more than indoor play."
Edmonds acknowledges the increased amount of instructional screen time required of children and tasks parents with guiding children during off hours toward this type of outdoor leisure time versus, say, a movie night. "Awareness of overall screen time is important," he said.
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