Why Are So Many Asians Nearsighted?
Time magazine features an article entitled, "
Why Up to 90% of Asian Schoolchildren Are Nearsighted." According to a study published in the Lancet by Ian Morgan of Australian National University, up to 90% of young adults in China, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea are nearsighted--compared with only a 20 to 30% rate of myopia in the UK.
These East Asian countries with high myopia rates are also those found at the top of the international rankings of educational performance. Scientists are concerned that the high prevalence of myopia in Asian children is associated with increased educational pressures and lifestyle changes, which have reduced the amount of time that children spend outside.
Myopia is the result of elongation of the eyeball, which leads to blurry images at a distance. Scientists think that exposure to bright outdoor light increases the levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the eye, which may prevent elongation of the eyeball. The recommendation for prevention of myopia? 2 to 3 hours of outdoor sunlight each day.
Comments
well i am blind as a bat
well i am blind as a bat without my glasses. : (
Hi Savvy gal,
I'm sorry--me, too! Wish I could go back in time & spend a lot of time outside!
Is it all that studying? :)
Is it all that studying? :)
Hi Bonggamom,
Wish I had played outside more & spent less time studying! :)
Maybe it's just genetic.
Maybe it's just genetic.
Hi Bicultural Mama,
According to this text, a small proportion of myopia is familial. But the prevalence of myopia has been increasing over the past 50 years, and has been associated with increased education and urbanization--the prevalence of myopia in rural East Asian areas is low...http://w3.csmu.edu.tw/~pcl/handout/optometrynews/How%20genetic%20is%20school%20myopia.pdf .
I think it's genetic,
I think it's genetic, definitely! I think that our genetics either have made us more or less prone to myopia, and the "environment" or how much time we spend inside (low light) and studying (long times focusing intently on reading) just exacerbates any tendencies toward myopia. I have perfect vision because my parents both had great eyesight. I also was a straight A student. So, I think it has more to do with "nature" here than "nurture". Maybe the time spent outside should be done in the early years, when eyes are still developing, to make a difference...
Hi Lisa,
Yes--I'm sure it's multi-factorial. Wish I were you with the perfect vision!
We've been trying to do this
We've been trying to do this ever since the study came out. (H is way better at having the girls outside than I am, though). We'll let you know the results of our n=2 experiment in a few years, LOL!
(P.S. It's too late for me. I even just got the captcha wrong!)
Hi SoKnitpicky,
Me, too--I've been trying to get the kids to walk to school, ride their bikes, & play in the backyard more often. This summer, maybe we'll grill and have dinner outside, too. Our older one already got glasses last year at age 9, but the little one hasn't yet at age 7. There's still hope for her! :)
Fascinating. Good to know
Fascinating. Good to know
Hi Fourth breakfast,
Yes--it's very interesting how we've created these artificial environments to live in, and now we find that what we really need is to be outdoors in the sunlight--to prevent vitamin D deficiency, depression, and now nearsightedness, too.
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