Covid restrictions and screens linked to myopia in children, study shows

Hong Kong research suggests less time outdoors and more doing near work' accelerates short-sightedness

• Coronavirus - latest updates
• See all our coronavirus coverage

Spending more time indoors and on screens because of Covid restrictions may be linked to an increased rate of short-sightedness in children, researchers say.

The study, which looked at two groups of children aged six to eight in Hong Kong, is the latest to suggest that lockdowns and other restrictions may have taken a toll on eyesight: data from more than 120,000 children of a similar age in China, published earlier this year, suggested a threefold increase in the prevalence of shortsightedness, or myopia, in 2020.