To investigate the association between daily digital screen exposure and the odds of myopia, specifically focusing on its prevalence among different age groups.
Key Findings:
Each additional hour of daily screen exposure was associated with 21% higher odds of myopia, with the strongest association in children aged 2 to 7 years.
1 hour of daily screen exposure was linked to 5% higher odds of myopia, while 4 hours nearly doubled the odds compared to no exposure, with variations noted across different age groups and device types.
Interpretation:
The findings suggest a potential safe range of 1 hour of daily screen exposure, highlighting the need for public health strategies while cautioning against establishing causality due to the observational nature and heterogeneity of studies.
Limitations:
High heterogeneity across studies (I² = 99%) limited confidence in pooled estimates, and reliance on self-reported myopia may affect the accuracy of findings.
Most studies were cross-sectional, limiting conclusions on temporality and causation, and variability in definitions of myopia and screen exposure measurements was noted.
Conclusion:
The study highlights the urgent need for further research and potential public health strategies to address the increasing prevalence of myopia globally.
