The hidden decor hazard harming your eye health, experts say
Your home’s ambiance might be working against your vision.
Key Takeaways
Nearsightedness is on the rise, and it’s not just due to screen time. While genetics play a role, modern habits such as prolonged close-up work, limited time outdoors, and dim indoor lighting are significant contributors.
Lighting and environment have a bigger impact on eye health than many realize. Recent research suggests that low light combined with sustained near focus can strain the eyes and may contribute to the progression of myopia.
Simple daily habits can help protect your vision. Using brighter lighting, taking regular visual breaks, spending more time outdoors, and maintaining proper screen distance can support long-term eye health.
A Personal Experience with Nearsightedness
In third grade, my grades started to slip. As an overachieving A-student with undiagnosed anxiety, this really stressed me out. When my mother asked what was going on, I tearfully told her that I couldn’t see what was written on the blackboard in the front of my classroom. Because of this, I had to guess my way through quizzes and homework assignments, hoping to get answers correct.
I panicked, thinking I was doomed to squint for the rest of my life. But my mother took me to see our family ophthalmologist, and sure enough, I was nearsighted. One pair of early-1990s oversized wire-rimmed glasses later, I could see clearly.
Countless others have had similar experiences. In fact, rates of nearsightedness—also known as myopia—are increasing worldwide. It’s estimated that by 2050, nearly half of the world’s population will be nearsighted. Although this spike in myopia rates is often blamed on people staring at screens all day, there’s more to the story. A new study proposes that it’s not just devices, but the combination of dim indoor lighting and prolonged close-up focus that may be partially responsible for straining the eyes. Here’s what to know about nearsightedness, the new research, and how to protect your eyes.
What Causes Nearsightedness?
Nearsightedness is both genetic and environmental, says Donny Suh, MD, chief of pediatric ophthalmology for the UCI Health Gavin Herbert Eye Institute. Children with nearsighted parents are at higher risk, but lifestyle factors—like screen use and time outdoors—strongly influence how it develops, he explains.
“While family history sets the genetic baseline and determines a child’s initial risk, our DNA hasn’t changed in the last few decades, yet myopia rates have skyrocketed,” says Maria Montero, MD, ophthalmologist, surgeon, and the associate director of clinical services at Orbis International. “This tells us that modern lifestyle changes—intensive schooling and increased screen time—are the primary drivers.”
According to Dr. Suh, the known environmental causes of nearsightedness include:
- Limited time outdoors
- Prolonged near work
- High screen exposure (blue light)
- Urban lifestyles
And now a new study suggests that dim lighting can also contribute to nearsightedness.
What Does the Study Add to What We Know About Nearsightedness?
The new research, published in the journal Cell Reports, tries to help explain why certain risk factors exist for progressive worsening near-sightedness. “This study provides a vital piece of the puzzle in understanding the modern myopia epidemic,” Dr. Montero says. “It reinforces that our vision is deeply connected to our environment; specifically, that prolonged ‘near work’ on digital devices, combined with a lack of natural light, creates a physical imbalance in how the eye develops.”
“Near work” refers to activities like reading, writing, or using screens that require intense, close-up visual focus, typically within arm’s length (16-20 inches). As communities around the world spend more time indoors, vision health challenges shift. “This study reinforces that our eyes were designed for the horizon, and when our world shrinks to the size of a screen, our ocular health can suffer,” Dr. Montero says.
It might seem like glasses, contact lenses, or LASIK eye surgery may be easy fixes for this problem—but these solutions aren’t available to everyone. “Myopia is emerging as a major public health concern because access to eyeglasses in lower and middle-income countries is limited, leading to major social, economic, and psychological impacts on an individual and a community,” Dr. Montero says.
How to Protect Your Eyes
Nearsightedness can do more than blur your distance vision: high myopia is also a risk factor for retinal damage, like retinal tears, detachments, and degeneration, says Dan Brocks, MD, corneal specialist, ophthalmologist, and chief medical officer at Boston Sight. “So, if we can halt progressive myopia, it can reduce the risk of vision loss in the future,” he explains.
Prevention is about building sustainable eye habits and considering “visual hygiene,” which isn’t just what we look at, but how, Dr. Montero explains. For example, reading in poor lighting or failing to take visual breaks can overtax the eye’s focusing mechanism, she says. Here are some tips for protecting your eyes, courtesy of our ophthalmologists:
- The 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds to “reset” your eye muscles, Dr. Suh recommends.
- Green time over screen time: Encourage children to spend at least two hours outdoors daily. “Natural light triggers the release of dopamine in the retina, which acts as a regulator for healthy eye growth,” Dr. Montero explains.
- Don’t use screens in the dark: Instead of working in a dimly lit environment, turn on lights in the room where you’re using a computer, phone, or playing video games. Or, better yet, sit near a window that provides natural light.
- Mind your distance: Keep devices roughly the span from your knuckles to your elbow, Dr. Montero says.
- Never skip regular eye exams: This is especially important for children, Dr. Brocks notes.
Regardless of your age, it’s important to seek medical attention if you notice any changes in your vision.
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