Nearsightedness is rising worldwide, with projections suggesting nearly half of the global population could be affected by 2050. While heavy screen use has often been blamed, emerging research points to another possible factor: the lighting conditions where close-up work happens. A new study suggests that dim indoor environments may contribute to the development of myopia.
Myopia occurs when the eyeball grows too long from front to back, causing light to focus in front of the retina rather than directly on it. Researchers found that when people focus on nearby objects such as phones or books, their pupils naturally constrict to sharpen the image. In dim lighting, that narrowing may allow too little light to reach the retina. The study proposes that reduced retinal stimulation during prolonged close-up tasks could send a signal that encourages the eye to keep growing.
Outdoor environments offer a stark contrast because natural light is far brighter than most indoor lighting. Even when pupils constrict to focus on nearby objects, the retina still receives strong light signals that may help regulate eye growth. Researchers caution that the findings are based on a small study and present a hypothesis rather than definitive proof. Still, the results suggest that improving indoor lighting during close-up work could be one potential strategy to explore as myopia rates continue to climb.
SOURCE:
Fox News, February 26, 2026