Genetics combined with years of schooling may cause myopia: Study | Health

In a new study, researchers discovered five genetic variants increases the likelihood of nearsightedness as children get older.

These findings were published in the open access journal PLOS Genetics by a team led by Jeremy Guggenheim of Cardiff University in the United Kingdom.

Myopia is related to various eye problems, making it a major cause of irreversible vision impairment in the elderly. People often develop nearsightedness as children, and the condition appears to be genetic, not enough time outdoors and years of schooling. More than 450 genetic variants have been associated with an increased risk of myopia in studies.

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However, a few have been shown to increase risk particularly in those involved lifestyle change.

For the new study, the researchers used genetic and health data from more than 340,000 participants of European ancestry. They performed a genome-wide study to identify genetic variants that make people more susceptible to myopia when combined with intensive schooling.

The study identified five genetic variants that gradually increased the risk of nearsightedness for people who spent more time in school – especially for those who did at the university level. Three of these variants were previously unknown, while two were found in studies of the East Asian group, where about 80% of children were nearsighted. By comparison, about 30 percent of children are nearsighted in the West. The findings provide new insights into the biological pathways that cause myopia, the researchers say, but more research is needed to understand how those pathways interact with lifestyle factors to cause it, the researchers say. This situation.

Guggenheim added: “Along with the need to wear glasses or contact lenses, myopia is a leading cause of untreatable vision loss. Based on our previous research on the link between education and myopia, new research identifies five genes involved in myopia development whose effects are amplified by additional years spent in education.”

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