Association between screen time and myopia progression in children

This comparison summarizes studies that investigated the association between screen time and myopia progression in children. Prospective cohort studies have reported that increased daily smartphone use is significantly associated with greater axial elongation and faster refractive progression over multi-year follow-up periods. For example, children with higher daily smartphone duration demonstrated significantly larger myopic shifts and axial growth than peers with lower use. However, findings across studies are not uniform, reflecting variability in exposure measurement, study design, and device type. These inconsistencies may contribute to differing conclusions regarding the magnitude and clinical relevance of screen time as a modifiable risk factor for myopia progression in children.