Researchers at the University of Cardiff have uncovered five genetic variants that increase a person’s risk of becoming myopic the longer they stay in school.
A team led by Professor Jeremy Guggenheim from the university’s school of optometry analysed genetic and health data from over 340,000 participants with European ancestry.
A genetic study was carried out to identify gene variants that make people more susceptible to becoming myopic in combination with intensive schooling.
‘Short-sightedness is a leading cause of uncorrectable visual impairment. These findings provide new insights into the biological mechanisms that cause short-sightedness, but more research is needed to understand how those mechanisms interact with lifestyle factors to cause the condition,’ Guggenheim said.
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