Why do we develop myopia?

Why do we develop myopia?

Nearsightedness usually occurs when your eyeball is longer than normal or your cornea is curved too steeply. Instead of being focused precisely on your retina, light is focused in front of your retina, resulting in a blurry appearance for distant objects.

Does genetics play a role in myopia?

Because common myopia is a complex condition involving hundreds of genes, the condition does not have a clear pattern of inheritance. The risk of developing this condition is greater for first-degree relatives of affected individuals (such as siblings or children) as compared to the general public.

How does the environment affect myopia?

Recent epidemiological studies suggest that increased outdoor time is an important modifiable environmental factor that protects young children from myopia. This protective effect may be due to high light intensity outdoors, the chromaticity of daylight or increased vitamin D levels.

Who affects myopia?

Nearsightedness can affect both children and adults. The condition affects about 25 percent of Americans. Nearsightedness is often diagnosed in Page 2 children between 8 and 12 years of age and may worsen during the teen years.

What are the environmental causes of myopia?

Results. We have found that (1) intensive near work (writing, reading, and working on a computer) leads to a higher prevalence of myopia, (2) watching television does not influence the prevalence of myopia, and (3) being outdoors decreases the prevalence of myopia. Conclusions.

Is myopia dominant or recessive?

2003; Pararajasegaram 1999). High myopia is usually regarded as hereditary—as an autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, or X-linked recessive trait. Some high myopia might be inherited in a complex fashion. So far, eight loci for high myopia have been reported, including MYP1 (Xq28) (Young et al.

Why does myopia increase with age?

Because the eye continues to grow during childhood, it typically progresses until about age 20. However, myopia may also develop in adults due to visual stress or health conditions such as diabetes.

How fast does young adult myopia progress?

Studies have been conducted on university students before, most with a mean age of around 20, with studies finding around half progress by at least -0.50 across a few years. 4,5 There is less data about young adult myopia progression (and for the sake of argument, and my feelings, let’s set that age range as 20-40 years of age).

Is myopia becoming more common among children?

Studies show myopia is becoming more common among children. While there is no proven direct link, research suggests that children who spend more time indoors doing near-focused activities (such as computer work, video games, and reading) have higher rates of myopia than those who spend more time outdoors.

What are the factors that influence myopia progression?

The results of the first 3-year follow-up study of the subjects of the present study showed that the factors with the most significant relationships to myopic progression were female gender, young age of onset and high degree of myopia at Baseline (Pärssinen & Lyyra 1993 ).

What is the difference between moderate myopia and high myopia?

Moderate myopia: -3.25 to -5.00 D or -6.00 D High myopia: greater than -5.00 D or -6.00 D Mild myopia typically does not increase a person’s risk for eye health problems. But moderate and high myopia sometimes are associated with serious, vision-threatening side effects.