A new study has identified a simple yet effective test that can help to determine which first grade children will likely become nearsighted by their early teens.
The study was conducted in Ohio State University and surveyed 4,500 children in the United States. It occurred over 20 years and evaluated 13 possible risk factors for nearsightedness.
The children in the study ranged from first to eighth graders. During the study, 414 children developed nearsightedness between the second and eighth grades.
The objective of the study was to determine one predictor or group of predictors that would determine which children would most probably develop myopia.
Dr. Karla Zadnik, the study's lead author, said that for over a century "near work" such as reading books or sitting close to a TV or computer, was believed to be the cause of nearsightedness. Some studies that ended with that conclusion provided evidence that was "hard to refute."
However, statistical analysis revealed that the refractive error at the ages of 6 and 11 years was most critical. It was the biggest factor in determining if the children would develop myopia before becoming teenagers, according to Z News.
"Refractive error" means that the shape of one's eye does not bend light properly. This results in eyesight problems such as nearsightedness and farsightedness.
In humans with normal vision, the eyeballs are programmed to stop growing when clear vision is achieved. However, in people with myopia, the round eyeball becomes oval like a grape or olive.
Interestingly, children who develop normal vision actually are a little farsighted when they are in first grade. Thus, doctors can detect the chance of them having myopia in the future by testing their refractive error.
The Ohio State study creates new opportunities for further studies. Researchers could develop therapies that could prevent children needing glasses in the future, according to Medical News Today.
Dr. Zadnik thinks that parents will likely become interested in implementing a test like the one used in her study. It will help to predict how likely their first-graders will later need eyeglasses for nearsightedness.