The Study
Education interacts with genetic variants near GJD2, RBFOX1, LAMA2, KCNQ5 and LRRC4C to confer susceptibility to myopia
This study found that some kids with certain genes are more likely to become nearsighted if they spend a lot of time in school — but it doesn’t prove school makes their eyes worse. It just shows that the genes and school seem to go together in people who got glasses.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
Some people are born with genes that make them more likely to become nearsighted, but only if they spend a lot of time in school.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 548 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1This is a small but meaningful increase — enough to explain why people who go to university are more likely to be nearsighted than those who don't, especially if they carry these genes.
- 2For every extra year of school, the genetic risk for nearsightedness increased by 0.07 to 0.10 diopters in people with specific gene variants near GJD2, RBFOX1, LAMA2, KCNQ5, and LRRC4C.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
PLOS Genetics
Year
2022
Authors
Rosie Clark, Alfred Pozarickij, P. Hysi, K. Ohno-Matsui, Cathy Williams, J. Guggenheim
Related Content
Claims (6)
The rise in nearsightedness over the past several decades is due to changes in the environment, not changes in human genes.
Five specific genetic regions are linked to differences in how refractive error varies among individuals, suggesting their role in myopia development involves interactions between genes and environmental factors, not just cumulative genetic effects.
In adults of European ancestry, more years of university education are linked to a measurable increase in the severity of nearsightedness caused by specific genetic variants.
Specific genetic variants related to nerve cell communication and brain development show the strongest link between years of education and the likelihood of developing myopia.
Specific genetic variants near GJD2 and RBFOX1 are linked to how education level affects the risk of developing myopia in people of European ancestry, and this same pattern has been seen in people of East Asian ancestry, suggesting a common biological basis.
Children with a specific genetic variant near LAMA2 have a higher risk of developing myopia as they spend more time in educational environments involving near-work or indoor activities.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.