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A study indicates that individuals who had a condition known as “lazy eye” during childhood may have an increased vulnerability to developing diabetes, heart disease, and other significant health complications in their later years.
A study of data from over 126,000 adults in the UK found that individuals who were diagnosed with amblyopia during childhood were at a higher risk for developing high blood pressure and obesity in their later years.
The study’s authors state in their publication in the journal eClinicalMedicine that there is no proven cause-and-effect connection between amblyopia and poor health. However, they suggest that children with this condition may require additional motivation to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Amblyopia, a condition that affects up to 4% of children, is discussed by Professor Jugnoo Rahi from UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Great Ormond Street Hospital.
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“All children in the UK are expected to receive a vision screening before the age of five to promptly identify and provide appropriate eye care.”
“It is uncommon for there to exist a childhood ‘marker’ that is linked to a higher likelihood of developing a severe disease in adulthood, particularly one that is measured and documented for every child through population screening.”
“The significant number of children and their families impacted by this may regard our findings as further motivation to strive for healthy habits from a young age.”
Amblyopia is a disorder that affects the development of vision in one eye due to the brain’s inability to correctly interpret visual cues from that eye.
Approximately 4% of children worldwide are believed to experience its effects.
In the United Kingdom, the usual practice is to begin treatment before the age of seven, which may potentially improve vision in the less dominant eye.
The study involved analyzing health information of 126,399 individuals between the ages of 40 and 69 from the UK Biobank. This database stores medical and lifestyle information for over 500,000 individuals.
The study revealed that out of 3,238 participants who had a childhood lazy eye, over 80% continued to experience reduced vision in one eye as adults.
Individuals who experienced this condition during their childhood were found to have a 29% increased likelihood of developing diabetes, a 25% increased likelihood of having high blood pressure, and a 16% increased likelihood of being obese.
According to the team, even after considering factors like social status, race, and other illnesses, they found that the individuals were more susceptible to heart attacks.
The research team noted that individuals who previously experienced amblyopia as a child and later regained their vision also displayed health issues, although the connection was not as significant.
Dr Siegfried Wagner, of the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital, said: “Vision and the eyes are sentinels for overall health – whether heart disease or metabolic disfunction, they are intimately linked with other organ systems.
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“That is among the factors that lead us to examine for adequate eyesight in each eye.”
Our study does not prove a direct link between amblyopia and poor health in adulthood.
Our study shows that adults who previously had amblyopia as children are at a higher risk of developing these disorders compared to adults who did not have amblyopia.
Not all children with amblyopia will necessarily develop cardiometabolic disorders in adulthood, according to the results.
In response to the study, Poonam Patel, the manager of eye health information services at RNIB, stated: “This research is an excellent chance to emphasize the significance of eye exams and screening for children’s vision to catch refractive errors and amblyopia early on.”
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Finding amblyopia early can assist in receiving prompt treatment and minimizing its effects on vision.
Vision screening for children should be accessible in every region for all children upon beginning school at age four or five. However, there are currently certain regions where this service is not yet offered.
It is important for children to undergo regular eye exams with an optometrist, particularly if there is a family history of vision problems such as refractive error, squint, or amblyopia.
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