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Although the reasons for the increasing rates are complicated, there are likely to be a number of factors that are contributing, a number of studies consistently point to a lack of outdoor time as being one of the major risk factors for developing myopia.
造成近視率上升的原因很復雜，不過有一系列因素可能發揮了重大影響，許多研究都持續指出：戶外時間不足是造成近視的主要風險因素。
One theory for the connection between a lack of outdoor time and an increased risk for developing myopia is the effect of outdoor light on stimulating the release of dopamine, which acts as a signal to slow eye growth.
有關戶外時間不足與近視幾率上升這二者之間關系的一個理論稱，戶外光線具有刺激多巴胺釋放的作用，而多巴胺可以作為減緩眼球生長的信號。
"Brighter light releases more inhibition of eye growth," which prevents the eye from growing too long, says Ian Morgan, a professor at Australia National University, whose research focuses on myopia.
澳大利亞國立大學教授伊恩·摩根的研究集中在近視領域，摩根說，“光線越亮，對眼球生長的抑制越多，”從而阻止眼球變得過長。
What is less clear is the effect of screen-time and near-work -- such as reading -- on the risk for developing myopia.
屏幕時間和近距離工作（比如閱讀）對近視風險的影響尚不清楚。
"These rates of myopia going up started before the first iPhone was introduced," says David Berntsen, an optometrist at the University of Houston, whose research focuses on myopia.
“這波近視率的上升在第一代iPhone出現前就開始了。”休斯頓大學驗光師戴維·伯恩斯坦說，伯恩斯坦的研究重點是近視問題。
Some studies suggest that screen-time and near-work are linked to a greater risk of developing myopia, while other studies don't show a link.
一些研究表明，屏幕時間和近距離工作會導致近視風險提高，而其他研究則沒有顯示出這種聯系。
To explore whether there were interventions could slow vision changes, researchers launched the BLINK study in which 294 children between the ages of 7 to 11 received contacts lens -- some regular, single-vision contact lens, some bifocal -- which have been shown in previous studies to slow down the progression of myopia.
為了探查是否存在可以減緩視力變化進程的干預手段，研究人員發起了“眨眼研究”，跟蹤調查了294位年齡在7到11歲的隱形眼鏡兒童佩戴者，他們當中有的佩戴常規單光鏡片，也有些使用雙光鏡片；此前的研究表明，雙光鏡片能夠減緩近視的進程。
(Both Berntsen and Walline were involved in the BLINK study.)
（“眨眼研究”采納了伯恩斯坦和沃林的研究發現。）
These special contact lens, which are usually prescribed to older patients who need bifocal glasses, focus most of the light on the retina, giving the wearer clear central vision, while also causing a small amount of light in the peripheral vision to focus just in front of the retina.
雙光鏡片這類特殊的隱形眼鏡通常用于年齡較大的患者，他們需要雙光鏡片來使大部分光線集中落在視網膜上，從而獲取清晰的中心視力，同時讓外圍視覺上的一小部分光聚焦在視網膜前面。
This slight blurring of the peripheral vision seems to act as a signal to the eye to slow its growth.
由此形成的外圍視覺的輕微模糊似乎是一種令眼球減緩生長的信號。
"I didn't notice anything hugely different (about my vision)," while wearing these contacts, says Katie Krueger, a junior at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, who was a participant in the BLINK study.
田納西州克利夫蘭李大學大三學生凱蒂·克魯格是“眨眼研究”的參與者，她表示：“當佩戴這種隱形眼鏡時，我沒注意到（我的視力）有什么巨大改變。”
The fact that she didn't detect a difference indicates her vision was fully functional with the contacts.
她并未感覺到任何不同，這表明她的視力在佩戴雙光隱形眼鏡時能發揮完整功能。
For Krueger, although her vision worsened a little over the next few years, it eventually stabilized, leaving her with mild myopia.
盡管幾年后，她的視力稍有變差，但最終穩固下來，近視程度較輕。
In other studies, daily use of a special eye drop, called low-concentration atropine, has been shown to also slow the progression of myopia.
其他研究顯示，每日使用一種特殊眼藥水--低濃度阿托品--也能減緩近視進程。
At regular concentrations of about 1 percent, atropine is used to dilate the pupil for eye exams.
濃度為1%的阿托品通常被用于在眼科檢查中放大瞳孔。
But at very low concentrations, usually between 0.01 to 0.05 percent solution, atropine drops just before bed has been shown to slow the growth of the eyeball.
而濃度為0.01%到0.05%的阿托品藥水在臨床上表現出減緩眼球生長的功效。
At this time however, there are still questions about which dose is the most effective, and whether the effectiveness varies for different children.
雖然如此，我們仍面臨何種劑量更為有效、以及藥效在不同兒童之間是否存在差異的問題。
Although the details are still being fine-tuned, it's a promising treatment.
盡管相關細節尚在調整中，不過低濃度阿托品已然很有希望成為有效的治療方案。
"Using either of those treatments appears to slow down the rate of the growth of the eye by about 50 to 60 percent," Onken says. "We can't bring the train to a stop, but we can slow it down."
“采取兩個方案中的任意一種，似乎都能將眼球增長速度減少50%到60%，”昂肯說，“我們沒法停下列車，但我們可以讓它減速。”
Researchers are starting to come up with ways to stop the progression of myopia before it starts.
研究人員正開始尋找在近視發生前就阻止進程的方法。
To do this, they are trying to predict which children will develop myopia.
為此，他們嘗試預測哪些兒童可能患上近視。
"The fastest eye growth is actually just before you become nearsighted," Walline says.
“實際上眼睛生長最快的時期就在你近視之前。”沃林說。
Walline, along with collaborators, are working on setting up clinical trials to either prevent or delay the onset of myopia in children, using low-dose atropine eye drops.
沃林與合作者們協力搭建臨床試驗，用低劑量的阿托品藥水試圖預防或推遲兒童近視的形成。
This study will be similar to others that have been conducted in the past, outside the United States, which show that low-dose atropine eye drops can delay the onset of myopia in children.
這項研究將與過去在美國以外進行的其他研究類似，這些研究都表明，低劑量阿托品藥水可以延緩兒童近視的發生。
Then, if a child does develop myopia, the treatment for slowing it down is the same as it is for preventing its onset.
如果試驗發現孩子已經近視，便可以采取與預防方案相同的療法，減緩近視進程。
One day, the goal is to be able to offer these options to all children who are at risk of developing myopia.
將來某天，我們的目標是向所有存在近視風險的兒童提供這些選項。
"This has huge benefits just in terms of practical living and huge benefits in terms of the potential long-term consequences," Morgan says. "I think we'll see over the next 10 years this will just become standard, optometrical practice."
“這不僅在實際生活收效顯著，而且在潛在長期后果的預防上也有巨大好處，”摩根說，“我認為未來10年中，這將成為基礎的臨床驗光實踐。”
