The battle to protect vision in the digital age: Sunshine and green plants are the smart choice for preventing and controlling myopia among teenagers!

Author: Hao Rui, deputy chief physician of Tianjin Eye Hospital

Reviewer: Zhang Wei, Chief Physician of Tianjin Eye Hospital, Head of the Strabismus and Pediatric Ophthalmology Group of the Ophthalmology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association

In recent years, with the popularization of digital technology, young people have been facing electronic screens for a long time, which has increased the burden on their eyes and caused the myopia rate to rise, posing a potential threat to their future life and career development. Myopia not only affects their learning and quality of life, but may also cause a series of eye health problems, such as retinal detachment, macular degeneration, and even serious vision damage. When looking for ways to prevent and control myopia, we usually focus on scientific eye use and a healthy diet, but in fact, the natural environment, especially green plants and sunlight, also plays a vital role in the prevention and control of myopia.

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※Natural environment and adolescent vision health

The impact of the natural environment on the visual health of teenagers has received increasing attention. With the advancement of urbanization, teenagers spend significantly less time outdoors and spend more time indoors, focusing on close objects such as books, computers and mobile phone screens. This lifestyle keeps the ciliary muscles of the eyes in a tense state for a long time, which in turn increases the incidence of myopia.

In a natural environment, especially one with abundant green plants, young people's eyes can get enough rest and relaxation. Green plants provide a wide field of vision and a pleasant visual experience. When looking at green plants from a distance, the ciliary muscles of the eyes can relax. This state of relaxation is essential for preventing the occurrence and development of myopia. In contrast, high-density buildings and limited living space in urban environments restrict the natural activities of the eyes and increase the risk of myopia.

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※The protective effect of green plants

The role of green plants in preventing and controlling myopia is not only reflected in providing relaxation for vision, but also indirectly protecting vision by improving environmental conditions. First, green plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen through photosynthesis, improving air quality. Fresh air is conducive to eye health and can reduce eye discomfort and irritation caused by air pollution.

Secondly, green plants can adjust the intensity of light. In the natural environment, sunlight is filtered by trees and vegetation, becoming softer, avoiding the adverse stimulation of direct strong light or reflection to the eyes. When you stay in a soft natural light environment for a long time, your eyes are not easily tired and your vision is easier to maintain stable.

In addition, green plants also have certain psychological effects. Studies have shown that exposure to green plants in the natural environment can help reduce stress and anxiety, which also has a positive impact on eye health. Emotional relaxation can reduce eye fatigue caused by mental tension, which in turn helps reduce the incidence of myopia. Therefore, it is recommended that outdoor activities should be carried out during periods of mild sunlight to avoid prolonged exposure to strong sunlight.

※Challenges of urbanization to vision health

With the acceleration of urbanization, more and more young people live in urban environments with tall buildings and scarce green spaces. Children have less time for outdoor activities, and most of their time is occupied by electronic screens, lacking opportunities to get in touch with nature. This lifestyle is very bad for eye health and is an important reason for the rising myopia rate among young people.

In urban environments, how to create more green spaces and increase the opportunities for young people to contact nature has become a major challenge in preventing and controlling myopia. On the one hand, urban planners need to pay attention to the design and construction of green spaces, increase the coverage of green plants in communities, parks and schools, and provide better outdoor activity venues for children. On the other hand, parents and educators should also encourage children to participate more in outdoor activities and reduce unnecessary close-up eye use time.

※How to use the natural environment to prevent and control myopia

In order to make full use of the natural environment to prevent and control myopia in adolescents, we can take the following measures:

Increase outdoor activity time: arrange a certain amount of outdoor activities for children every day, especially in an environment with abundant greenery. It is recommended to maintain at least 1 hour of outdoor activities every day, and try to choose a time period with mild and sufficient sunlight.

Reasonable design of urban green space: In urban planning, attention should be paid to the distribution and design of green space to ensure that there are enough green spaces near communities and schools for children to play. Green space not only provides children with a place to play, but also improves air quality, regulates light, and provides a good environment for eye health.

Education and publicity: Through the joint efforts of families, schools and all sectors of society, we will strengthen the publicity of myopia prevention and control knowledge, so that parents and children can realize the importance of the natural environment to eye health. Through popular science activities, community lectures and other means, we will encourage more families to attach importance to outdoor activities and contact with nature.

Optimize the indoor environment: If you cannot avoid long-term indoor activities, try to optimize the indoor environment, increase indoor green plants, make rational use of natural light, and reduce the use of electronic screens. At the same time, parents should supervise their children to develop good eye habits and avoid long-term close-up eye use.

Check your vision regularly: Regular vision checks, especially during adolescence, can help detect vision problems early and intervene in time. Parents and schools should pay close attention to their children's vision and seek professional medical help in time if they find any abnormalities.

In the fast-paced life of modern society, myopia among teenagers is becoming increasingly serious. However, by making rational use of green plants and sunlight in the natural environment, we can prevent and control the occurrence and development of myopia to a certain extent. Green plants not only provide a relaxing visual experience for the eyes, but also indirectly protect vision by improving environmental conditions; sunlight inhibits the excessive growth of the eye axis by promoting the secretion of dopamine, effectively reducing the risk of myopia.