A new study has revealed that sitting in front or near the TV does not make children nearsighted.

Nearsightedness or myopia typically develops between age eight and 12 years. The problem affects one-third of adults.

According to the study, a new test can accurately predict if a child will become nearsighted. According to the researchers, their current refractive error, or eyeglasses prescription can be used to detect the problem.

According to Karla Zadnik, dean of the College of Optometry at Ohio State University and lead author of the study, children hardly reveal their parents that they can't see the board in class. Also, the letter-chart screening tests used by schools and pediatricians are nor ideal.

In order to predict the accurate method, Zadnik started to conduct the study in California in 1989. She expanded her research to include almost 5,000 ethnically diverse children around the United States.

During the study, the research team regularly measured children's eyes and quizzed parents on their health and habits.

The researchers assessed 13 potential risk factors, including physical measures of the eye and reports from parents regarding their child’s activities, to decide on the strongest predictor or set of predictor for nearsightedness.

It was found that doing close work or watching TV close up didn’t account for nearsightedness. In fact the problem is depended on other factors. Two nearsighted parents increase the risk for myopia. However, it is not still a strong predictor as refractive error.

Refractive error comes from the mismatches in the size and optical power of the eye. Myopia is defined as a refractive error of -0.75 diopters or more.

The study found that children whose refractive error was less than +0.75 diopters (which is slightly farsighted) in first grade were most likely to become nearsighted.

The researchers concluded that as a child gets older that number drops. So, by sixth grade a child with no refractive error is at risk. The study results were published Thursday in JAMA Ophthalmology.