Adults who spent less time outdoors had higher rates of reported myopia
Sun Exposure and Myopia in Adult Australian Participants of the 45 and Up Study.
Gareth Lingham … David A Mackey
Ophthalmic epidemiology · 2026
Purpose
Sun exposure has important effects on human health, including risk of myopia (short-sightedness).
Methods
At the baseline survey (2005-2009), participants of the 45 and Up study self-reported history of skin cancer and outdoor, sun exposure and sedentary behaviours.
Results
less time outdoors linked to slightly higher odds of nearsightedness
OR by subgroup · 95% CI
More results
The prevalence of self-reported myopia was 53.1%, likely representing an over-estimate.
“
Conclusion · 1 of 2
In adulthood, higher time spent outdoors was associated with lower prevalence of self-reported myopia. This may indicate that outdoor behaviours in adulthood reflect those in childhood, when myopia develops.
Conclusion · 2 of 2
However, caution interpreting these findings is warranted due to the cross-sectional design, potential misclassification of myopia and temporal gap (13-17 years) between self-reporting of outdoor time and myopia status.