Researchers have identified five genetic variants that increasingly increase a person’s risk of myopia the longer they stay in school. A team led by Jeremy Guggenheim from Cardiff University, UK, published these findings Nov. 17 in the open-access journal PLOS genetics.
Myopic vision is associated with a range of eye disorders, making it one of the leading causes of irreversible visual impairment in older people. However, people often become myopic as children, and the condition appears to result from a mixture of genetic factors, too little time spent outdoors, and many years of education. Genetic studies have identified more than 450 genetic variants associated with an increased risk of myopia, but few have been shown to specifically increase risk in people with the associated lifestyle factors. In the new study, 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 likely to become myopic in combination with intensive schooling.
The study found five genetic variants that progressively increased individuals’ risk of becoming myopic the longer they spent in school, particularly for those with a college education. Three of these variants were previously unknown, while two were found in cohort studies from East Asia, where around 80% of children become myopic. For comparison, regarding 30% of children develop myopia in the West. The researchers said these findings provide new insights into the biological pathways that cause myopia, but more research is needed to understand how these pathways interact with lifestyle factors to cause the disease.
Guggenheim adds, “In addition to requiring the wearing of glasses or contact lenses, myopia is one of the leading causes of incorrigible visual impairment. Building on our previous research linking education and myopia, the new study identifies 5 genes associated with the development of myopia whose effects are magnified. by additional years spent in teaching.”
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