Light Exposure and Physical Activity in Myopic and Emmetropic Children.

Light Exposure and Physical Activity in Myopic and Emmetropic Children.

Read SA, Collins MJ, Vincent SJ.
Optom Vis Sci. 2014 Jan 9. 

This study measured ambient light exposure and physical activity of 102 children, 10 to 15 years old over a 2-week period, using a measuring device worn on the wrist.  The device registered much less light exposure and time spent in bright light conditions among myopic children, and no significant difference in daily physical activity between myopic and emmetropic (not myopic) children.  Other studies have also found that myopic children seem to spend less time in natural sunlight and bright light conditions.

Link to abstract:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24413273

Integration of Defocus by Dual Power Fresnel Lenses Inhibits Myopia in the Mammalian Eye

Integration of Defocus by Dual Power Fresnel Lenses Inhibits Myopia in the Mammalian Eye.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2014 Jan 7McFadden SA, Tse DY, Bowrey HE, Leotta AJ, Lam CS, Wildsoet CF, To CH.

This study found that in guinea pigs, myopia can be induced and then reduced by using plus lenses and dual focus fresnel lenses.  In this study, like in many other animal studies, this reduction of myopia through the use of plus lenses seems to be fairly effective, but it's on induced myopia, so it might not be as effective in human myopia, which is not induced.  The question that remains for me is, what are the triggers that begin the process of developing myopia?  Since there appears to be a very strong genetic component to human myopia, and many have proposed that genetic predispositions are triggered by environmental factors, what are the triggers?  And in the cases where these genetic predispositions exist, can environmental changes (like more sunlight as is suggested in many studies, or plus lenses, for example) be as effective as in the cases of induced myopia?

Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24398103