EFFECTS OF EXCESS SCREEN TIME ON THE PREVALENCE OF MYOPIA IN CHILDREN

Abstract

Myopia occurs when the eyeball does not refract light properly, impairing distance vision by reducing the sharpness of distant images. For clear vision, light needs to pass through the eyes and focus correctly on the retina. Myopic people have abnormally shaped eyes, usually longer and more pointed, and occasionally the cornea may be excessively curved. The objective of this integrative review is to relate myopia to the high time spent using screens (smartphone, computer, tablet, television) in children. A search was carried out on the National Library of Medicine (PubMed) and Regional Portal of the Virtual Health Library (BVS) platforms using the descriptors “myopia”, “children” and “screen time”. The inclusion criteria used were articles published in the last 05 years (2019-2024); open access and articles whose studies were of the type Case Reports, Clinical Study, Clinical Trial, Observational Study, controlled and randomized test. Articles not directly related to the topic addressed and duplicate articles were excluded from the study. A total of 21 articles were selected from the studies analyzed, and it was observed that 17 of the selected studies support the hypothesis that prolonged exposure to electronic devices can be a triggering factor for myopia in children. However, 4 articles did not find a link between the use of electronic devices and myopia. It is concluded that limiting screen time and encouraging outdoor activities are essential strategies to prevent childhood myopia, highlighting the importance of promoting healthy habits from childhood.