An eye exam for children as young as in Standard One could predict the onset of nearsightedness (myopia) when they become teenagers. The test, which measures refractive error, consists of a simple eye exam in which the patient is asked to view an eye chart from a distance, using different lenses. The patient then has to say which of the lenses enables better vision. This test can determine the need for glasses in students in Standard Eight when they are just in Standard One, making it possible for parents to take proactive measures to prevent the need for spectacles and improve their child’s eyesight.
The finding comes from a study of over 4,500 children, aged 6-11, and all of whom had normal vision at the start of the research. During the course of the study, which lasted over 20 years, researchers kept track of potential risk factors among the participants and repeatedly tested for nearsightedness. It found that 414 children became nearsighted by the time they were between 7 and 13 years old. The study was published in JAMA Ophthalmology and reported by Medical News Today.
According to the study authors, led by Prof. Karla Zadnik, dean of the College of Optometry at The Ohio State University in Columbus, among the 13 factors taken into account, refractive error was the strongest predictor of myopia. This is a straightforward test and researchers found that those children who had normal vision growing up were slightly farsighted at around 6 or 7 years of age. Children who were only slightly farsighted or not farsighted at all were likely to suffer from myopia in the future.
A common potential risk factors that was taken into consideration in the study but found to have no link to myopia was ‘near work’ like reading or sitting too close to a television or computer screen.
Other potential predictors included the theory that nearsightedness was less likely in children who spent time outdoors. However, according to Prof. Zadnik, this link is not conclusive enough as a predictor of the condition. Even so, other recent studies have indicated that sunlight may have a protective effect against myopia.