STORY AT-A-GLANCE
A 2023 study has confirmed that supplementing premature infants with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids helps lower the risk of a sight-threatening disease by 50%, and influences vision as the children age
Supplementing premature infants with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids also reduced the percentage of children with myopia as they reached 2.5 adjusted-years. Myopia is growing in prevalence, which the World Health Organization estimates will reach 50% of the global population by 2050
According to recent research, it’s not just a lack of sunlight, but also excessive staring at electronic screens that increases the risk of myopia as it changes the structure of the eyeball and leads to atrophy of the tear glands
Spending more time outdoors in the sunlight can benefit you and your children’s health by helping to prevent myopia and naturally raising your vitamin D levels; consider making your time outdoors a game by setting a goal and rewarding yourselves when you meet it