ArticlePloS one2021
Ambient light level varies with different locations and environmental conditions: Potential to impact myopia.
Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 33 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
33 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 66 citations in OpenAlex.
- Influence of outdoor time on the spherical equivalent and axial length in childhood myopia: A meta-analysis.Acta ophthalmologica · 2025Pooled it
- Blue-Light Therapy for Seasonal and Non-Seasonal Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie · 2022Pooled it
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- Association between building density and screening myopia in children and adolescents: a 5-year longitudinal study from China.The British journal of ophthalmology · 2026Article
- Spatial altitude factors on the association with myopia: a narrative review.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Review
- Classifying Indoor Versus Outdoor Environments Using the Actiwatch Spectrum PRO | A 1000 Lux Threshold is Questionable.Current eye research · 2026Article
- IMI: The Role of Light in Refractive Development and Myopia: Evidence from Animal and Human Studies.Investigative ophthalmology & visual science · 2025Review
- An analysis of light that reaches the eye surface in an outdoor environment.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Childhood Myopia Part II: Treatment Mechanisms, Emerging Options, and Considerations.Investigative ophthalmology & visual science · 2025Review
- Light in the Darkness: Responses to Light and Diel Activity Rhythm in an Eyeless Cave Flatworm (Ecology and evolution · 2025Article
- Towards an evidence-based integrative lighting score: a proposed multi-level approach.Annals of medicine · 2024Review
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- Optimized scintillation imaging in low dose rate and bright room light conditions.Biomedical physics & engineering express · 2024Article
- Origin of Persisting Photoresponse of One-Year Aged Two-Dimensional Lead Halide Perovskites Stored in Air under Dark Conditions.ACS applied materials & interfaces · 2024Article
- Light exposure profiles differ between myopes and non-myopes outside school hours.BMJ open ophthalmology · 2024Article
- Theoretical prediction of broadband ambient light optogenetic vision restoration with ChRmine and its mutants.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Compensatory Interactions between Corneal and Internal Astigmatism despite Lifestyle Changes.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeConsidering that time spent outdoors is protective for myopia, we investigated how ambient light levels reaching the eye varies across 9 outdoor and 4 indoor locations in 5 different environmental conditions.
methodsIlluminance (lux) was recorded using a lux meter under conditions of weather (sunny/cloudy), time of a day (7:00,10:00,13:00, and 16:00 hours), seasons (summer/winter), and sun protection (hat and cap) in outdoor and indoor locations. Nine outdoor locations were "open playground", "under a translucent artificial-shade", "under a porch facing east", "under a porch facing south", "under a big tree", "between three buildings", "within 4 buildings", and "canopy". As a ninth outdoor location, "Under a glass bowl" in the outdoor location was used as a simulation for "glass classroom model" and measurement was taken at the floor level only to determine in overall the illuminance conditions with glass covered on all sides. The 4 indoor locations included "room with multiple large windows", "room with combination light source", "room with multiple artificial lights", and "room with single artificial light".
resultsThe overall median illuminance level (median; Q1-Q3) recorded in 9 outdoor locations was 8 times higher than that of all indoor locations (1175;197-5400 lux vs. 179;50-333 lux). Highest illuminance in outdoor locations was recorded in "open playground" (9300;4100-16825 lux), followed by "under a translucent artificial shade (8180;4200-13300 lux) and the lowest in "within 4 buildings" (11;6-20 lux). Illuminance under 'Canopy', 'between three buildings' and 'within four buildings' was similar to that of indoor locations (<1000 lux). Time of the day, weather, season, sensor position and using sun protection did not alter illuminance to change from high to low level (>1000 to <1000 lux). Among indoor locations, illuminance in "room with multiple large windows" crossed 1000 lux at a specific time points on both sunny and cloudy days.
conclusionsIlluminance levels in outdoors and indoors varied with location type, but not with other conditions. Given the variation in illuminance in different locations, and the impact it may have on myopia control, appropriate detailed recommendations seems necessary while suggesting time outdoors as an anti-myopia strategy to ensure desired outcomes.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.