Light therapy as a novel treatment for childhood myopia

The number of children with myopia (short-sightedness) has more than doubled in the UK over the past decade. Myopia occurs due to an excessive increase in eye lnegth which increases the risk of sight threatening eye diseases. Less time spent outdoors prevents myopia from occurring, likely due to bright sunlight which helps regulate the body clock. Melatonin, the sleep hormone, helps regulate the body clock Research reports that myopes have higher morning melatonin concentrations indicating that perhaps the body clock, or at least melatonin concentrations, may differ in myopic children