health
February 7, 2026
‘Green time over screen time’: how to really look after your eyes
About 90% of vision loss can be prevented or treated. So what can you to do avoid eye damage, and what are just the inevitable ravages of age?
TL;DR
- Approximately 90% of vision loss can be prevented or treated.
- Myopia (shortsightedness) is increasing in school-age children, with outdoor time and sunlight exposure shown to slow its progression.
- Screen time itself is not directly proven to cause myopia, but it may displace beneficial outdoor activities.
- Presbyopia, an age-related decline in near vision starting in the mid-40s, is inevitable and corrected with glasses.
- Cataracts, a clouding of the eye's lens, are also age-related but treatable with surgery.
- Glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration can be slowed or prevented with healthy lifestyle choices and, most importantly, early diagnosis through regular eye examinations.
- Regular eye check-ups are recommended every two to three years for those under 60, and more frequently for those over 60.
- The 'three O's' for eye health are: keeping off screens, being outdoors, and seeing an optometrist or ophthalmologist regularly.
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