Does your child spend more time indoors or outdoors during their free time?

While there may be lots of activities to keep them occupied inside, engaging in physical activities, especially outdoors, is pertinent to their well-being.

Children are encouraged to spend at least two hours a day outdoors, as cited in this CNA article.  Since a 2018 study showed that kids in Singapore spend only 3.1 hours a week outdoors, it sure seems like they’ve got some catching up to do.

Stay Protected Outdoors

Incidentally, not getting an adequate amount of outdoor activity contributes to why our local kids have one of the highest incidences of myopia in the world. Because spending time outdoors not only is good for one’s physical, mental and emotional health, it is also one of the most important ways to prevent and control myopia.

Before you let your kids make a beeline for the outdoors, don’t forget these sun protection essentials. Firstly, sunscreen is a must as children’s skin is more sensitive than adult skin. Also consider HOYA MiYOSMART Chameleon Photochromic Lenses with HOYA Full Control coating, if your child already has an onset of myopia.

Benefits of MiYOSMART

MiYOSMART is a safe and non-invasive method of managing myopia by providing myopic defocus to retard the growth of the eyeball. These lenses are equipped with Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (D.I.M.S.) technology, which is an innovative design consisting of hundreds of small segments, each providing myopic defocus. This lens structure helps correct children’s vision, and slows the growth of the eyeball, managing myopia progression at the same time.

An 8-year follow-up study, the longest running myopia management spectacle lens study to date (determined using available published evidence of myopia management spectacle lenses as of May 2025), showcased MiYOSMART’s safety and sustained effectiveness in controlling myopia over the long term. The study demonstrated that the myopia control effect is sustained over eight years¹ and the average myopia progression is less than -0.50D².

With MiYOSMART’s latest extended range, these spectacle lenses are suitable even for children with high myopia up to -13.00 diopters, particularly in children with wider pupillary distances so that they too can benefit from D.I.M.S. technology.

Lenses with Additional Sun Protection

Forget about carrying a separate pair of sunglasses! Opt for MiYOSMART Chameleon Photochromic and your child’s eyes will get all-round protection. Not only do these lenses help to slow down myopia progression, but they also shield from harmful UV rays, reducing the risk of long-term eye damage.

Thin, light and impact-resistant, MiYOSMART Chameleon Photochromic lenses are perfect even for vigorous outdoor play. Maintenance is also made easy with their easy-to-wipe, anti-reflective coating.

Moreover, these spectacle lenses are self-tinting (photochromic) and rapidly adapt to the levels of sunlight. They fade back to clear once indoors. 

Myopic children on atropine treatment tend to experience photophobia (light sensitivity), due to atropine dilating the pupils. But if they wear MiYOSMART Chameleon Photochromic with HOYA Full Control lenses, they will be less susceptible to the sun’s glare. Screen time will also be more comfortable, and hygiene is maintained by reducing bacterial growth on lens surfaces. 

So for the rest of this June school holidays, ensure that your child is getting enough outdoor time. It could simply be spending time to play soccer or cycle or going to the beach or the park. And more importantly, take effort to protect their eye health, not only to help slow down myopia progression, but also to avoid long-term vision issues.

Click links to find out more:

▶️ Choose MiYOSMART lenses today

▶️ Try out HOYA’s myopia stimulator 

▶️ Visit an eyecare practitioner near you

¹ Leung et al. Comparison of Myopia Progression in Individuals Wearing Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) Spectacle Lenses for Eight Years versus Shorter Durations. Abstract presented at ARVO. Available at: https://www.hoyavision.com/globalassets/__regional-assets/global/arvo-2025/leung-et-al.-dims-8y-study-arvo-2025-abstract.pdf (Accessed May 2025)

² Based on the results of 11 participants in the 8-year DIMS group who wore DIMS spectacle lenses for the entire 8 years.

Vlasak N. et al. Eight years of performance of defocus incorporated multiple segments (DIMS) spectacle lenses: User experience and myopia management outcomes. Rapid Fire Session VII: Myopia. 18.05.2025, EAOO 2025, Ljubljana, Slovenia.