A study links extra outdoor time on weekends to lower odds of myopia. Here's what that could mean for managing your child's myopia in winter.
Every year around this time, I check the sunset times and do the same math. By the time my son gets home from school, there isn't much daylight left, especially after time adjustment back to standard time. His weekday outdoor time drops to about 60 to 70 minutes a day. That's well short of the 2 hours a day during the summer we aim for to help slow his myopia progression.
So what can we do about it? And a recent study shows a potential way to help. In this article, I'll share what the research says about winter myopia progression, how much weekend outdoor time may be enough, and how to make it happen in the cold.
Why does winter myopia progression happen?
Winter myopia progression has been documented: studies have found that myopia tends to progress faster in winter than in summer. In a US study of 6 to 12-year-old children with myopia, the average change in spherical error was -0.35D during winter compared to -0.14D during summer.1 The researchers suggested that children spend more time outdoors, and less time indoors doing near work, during the summer.
Daylight is a key reason outdoor time is so important. In a study of 693 first graders from 16 schools, children who spent at least 11 hours per week outdoors in light of 1,000 lux or more had less myopia progression and less eye elongation.2 Even on a cloudy day, outdoor light is usually far brighter than the light inside our homes and classrooms with more than 1,000 lux.
In winter, the problem is not that daylight is not bright enough. It's that by the time my son finishes school, there isn't much of it left.
What is weekend catch-up outdoor time?
A 2024 study published in BMC Public Health looked at 5,467 students in grade 4 and above from 107 schools in China.3 The researchers asked students how much time they spent outdoors on weekdays and on weekends, and measured their refractive errors.
They defined "weekend catch-up outdoor time" as spending at least one hour more outdoors per day on weekends than on weekdays. Here is what they found:
- Overall: Students who caught up on weekends had about 23% lower odds of having myopia than those who didn't.
- Students with 30 minutes to 1 hour outdoors on weekdays: An extra 2 to 3 hours outdoors on weekend days was linked to about 42% lower odds of myopia.
- Students with 1 to 2 hours outdoors on weekdays: An extra 2 to 3 hours on weekend days was linked to about 39% lower odds of myopia.
In other words, the benefit appeared strongest for students who had limited outdoor time during the week. That sounds a lot like winter for many families.
It's important to keep the study's limitations in mind. It took a snapshot in time rather than following children over the years. Outdoor time was self-reported, refraction was measured without eye drops (non-cycloplegic), and all the students were from one region in China. It also looked at whether children had myopia, not how fast an existing myopia progressed. Still, it adds to a large body of research showing that total outdoor time matters, which also suggests additional weekend outdoor time is an opportunity.
Other research points in a similar direction. A 2026 study of 874 teens in Portugal found that those who spent 2 or more hours a day outdoors on weekends had lower odds of myopia.4
How much weekend outdoor time is enough in winter?
In the study, lower odds of myopia were observed among students who spent 30 minutes to 2 hours outdoors on weekdays and at least 2 extra hours outdoors on weekend days.3
Believing that this could be beneficial, here is how I think about what it could mean. We set an outdoor time goal of 14 hours per week, or 2 hours per day, with a minimum of 11 hours per week in winter. With 60 to 70 minutes a day on school days, he gets about 5 to 6 hours from Monday to Friday. To reach 11 hours, he needs roughly 5 to 6 hours over the weekend, or about 2.5 to 3 hours each on Saturday and Sunday.
That lines up nicely: about 2 hours more per day on weekends than on weekdays.
Tips to get more weekend outdoor time and counter winter myopia progression
- Plan around daylight: Check sunrise and sunset times, and plan the main outdoor activity for late morning to early afternoon, when it is brightest and warmest.
- Make it social: Kids stay outside longer with friends. Invite neighbors for a backyard game, sledding, or a snowman-building contest.
- Pick winter activities they enjoy: Skiing, sledding, ice skating at an outdoor rink, hiking, a nature scavenger hunt, visiting a zoo, or clearing snow from the driveway together. See more ideas in how to get more outdoor time in winter.
- Take everyday activities outside: Walk to the store or library, eat a picnic lunch on a mild day, or listen to an audiobook on the porch.
- Dress for the weather: A warm jacket with a hood, gloves, and heating pads make a big difference in how long kids are willing to stay outside.
- Let them track it: My son logs his own outdoor time each day and checks how close he is to the weekly goal. Seeing the numbers helps him take ownership of his outdoor time.
- Keep bedtime on track: Weekends are also when bedtimes slip. Pair a full day outside with an on-time bedtime, since staying up late is linked to faster myopia progression.
Don't forget sunglasses, even on cloudy days
It's easy to skip sunglasses on a gray winter day. But clouds don't block UV light, and the sun's rays can pass through haze and clouds.5 Snow and ice also reflect UV, so a morning on the slopes or at the sledding hill can mean even more exposure for your child's eyes.5
Make sure your child wears sunglasses with 100% UV or UV400 protection, along with a hat, whenever they spend time outside. Wondering whether sunglasses take away the benefit of outdoor time for myopia? I discussed this in what is the impact of UV light on myopia and eye health.
Key takeaways
Myopia in winter is linked to less daylight, and winter makes it harder for children to get enough of it on school days. A study links extra weekend outdoor time, especially 2 or more extra hours per day, to lower odds of myopia. The link was strongest for children with limited outdoor time on weekdays.
Keep in mind the study's limitations. It was a one-time survey of students, outdoor time was self-reported, and it looked at whether children had myopia, not how fast it progressed. So it shows a link, not proof that weekend outdoor time prevents myopia, and it doesn't tell us whether weekend catch-up slows progression in children who already have myopia. Still, other research links more time in bright daylight to less myopia progression, so if your child can't get enough outdoor time on school days, adding more daylight on weekends could be considered.
Treat weekends as a chance to soak up more daylight. Plan outdoor activities your child enjoys, dress warmly, keep track of their outdoor hours, and remember sunglasses, even when it's cloudy. Keep in mind that outdoor time works alongside, not in place of, the myopia control treatment your child's eye doctor recommends.
And even if it turns out weekend outdoor time only lowers the chance of getting myopia, rather than slowing it down, I still think it's worth it. It's time for your child to run around, play, and get some fresh air with the family. Plus, every hour outside may be an hour not spent on a screen.
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