Nearsightedness increases with level of education and longer schooling

In progressive myopia, the eyeball continues to grow after the 30's.

http://www.uni-mainz.de/presse/17465_ENG_HTML.php

July 21, 2014

Education and behavior have a greater impact on the development of nearsightedness than do genetic factors: With each school year completed, a person becomes more nearsighted. The higher the level of education completed, the more severe is the impairment of vision. These are the conclusions drawn by researchers at the Department of Ophthalmology at the Mainz University Medical Center from the results of the first population-based cohort study of this condition. A nearsighted eye is one in which the eyeball is too long in relation to the refractive power of the cornea and lens. As a result, distant objects are displayed on the retina out of focus. The eyeball continues to grow in humans until they reach adulthood and this means that myopia can also continue to progress in persons who have reached their 30s. It has been shown that both genetic predisposition as well as environmental stimuli play a role in the development of nearsightedness.

•••••

Nearsightedness is widespread. However, it has become more prevalent around the world in recent years and presents a growing global health and economic concern. Severe myopia is a major cause of visual impairment and is closely associated with an increased risk of complications, such as retinal detachment, macular degeneration, premature cataracts, and glaucoma. Developed Asian countries report increasing myopia rates of up to 80 percent. The rapidity of this escalation suggested that environmental factors, for example near work such as reading, using a computer, and higher education, might play an important role.

•••••

So what can be done to remedy this situation? It is not possible to 'cure' nearsightedness; it can only be corrected with visual aids or by surgical intervention designed to change refractive parameters. Attempts to slow the progression of myopia with drugs, special spectacles, or contact lenses have proven unsuccessful to date. Recent studies among children and young adults in Denmark and Asia showed that the risk for the development of myopia may be less with spending more time outdoors and, thus, by greater exposure to sunlight. Fifteen hours per week are advisable, while, at the same time, the eyes should not be used for close-up activities such as reading, watching TV, or using computers and smart phones for more than 30 hours per week. “Since students appear to be at a higher risk for nearsightedness, it makes sense to encourage them to spend more time outdoors as a precaution," said PD Dr. Alireza Mirshahi, lead author of the study.

•••••