Lazy eye condition in childhood increases the risk of developing obesity, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and heart attacks in adulthood, a new study revealed.
Amblyopia or lazy eye is a neurodevelopmental condition that causes reduced vision in one eye. It develops when the brain and eye coordination break down, causing the brain to increasingly rely on the stronger eye, leading to deterioration of vision in the weaker eye.
The signs of the condition include wandering inward or outward of one eye, squinting of one eye, poor depth perception, head tilting, and poor vision. As the condition typically impacts just one eye, many children may not notice any issues with their vision until their routine vision tests.
In a study published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, researchers identified a correlation between the lazy eye in childhood and increased health risk later in adulthood. However, the study does not show a causal relationship between them.
“Amblyopia is an eye condition affecting up to four in 100 children. In the U.K., all children are supposed to have vision screening before the age of five to ensure a prompt diagnosis and relevant ophthalmic treatment,” said corresponding author, Professor Jugnoo Rahi.
“It is rare to have a ‘marker’ in childhood that is associated with increased risk of serious disease in adult life, and also one that is measured and known for every child—because of population screening. The large numbers of affected children and their families may want to think of our findings as an extra incentive for trying to achieve healthy lifestyles from childhood,” Rahi added.
The study examined more than 126,000 participants between the ages of 40 and 69, who were part of the UK Biobank cohort who had undergone ocular examination.
During the recruitment, participants were inquired if they had been treated for amblyopia in childhood and if they still had the condition. They were also asked about medical diagnoses related to diabetes, high blood…
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