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iTunes, or should we say "eye-tunes," like "Doctor My Eyes" (Jackson Browne) and "Double Vision" (Foreigner), express how quality of life is affected by what you can and cannot see. That's why it's so alarming to hear that by 2030, over 30% of young kids and 40% of teens will be nearsighted. And globally, in the next 25 years, there will be 740 million cases of myopia, aka nearsightedness, in children and teens.

What's fueling this trend? Lack of time spent outdoors and too much screen time. That's the conclusion of a new consensus report from the National Academy of Sciences that urges myopia be classified as a disease by insurance companies because it's a condition that urgently requires treatment.

The report explains that taking in the outside world for at least an hour a day stimulates eyes with light and alters their movement and focus, helping prevent the development and progression of myopia. The report also stresses that infants should get a comprehensive eye exam at 6 and 12 months, then at least once from age 3 to 5, then before first grade, and then every one to three years.

But listen up, Mom and Dad, don't be shortsighted about your own vision. You too need to have regular eye exams and spend time outdoors away from screens to protect yourself from progressively worse myopia and related conditions, such as retinal detachment and glaucoma. For more info, check out "Top Tips for Eye Health: Supplements, Foods, and More" at iHerb.com/blog.

Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).

(c)2024 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

(c) 2024 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.