Once, three months ago, I walked with a group of friend in a department store to find something to eat and then we met two foreigners staring surprisingly towards us. While we were passing where they stood, I heard some part of their conversation, "Why these guys are all wearing glasses?" Suddenly, a suspicious question came to my mind, "Is it weird the hard-working Thai students like us wear glasses?" I chose not to answer this question until I came across this article.
According to Professor Ian Morgan, the head of the researchers from the Australia National University, the number of students suffering from myopia or short-sightedness in major Asian cities is extraordinarily increasing in the last two generations. In East Asia such as China, Korea and Japan, it has risen from around 20% of its population to well over 80%. In South East Asia such as Singapore, a dramatic rise in short-sightedness has been seen as well. Professor Morgan told BBC news that this happening is caused by two factors: a commitment to education and lack of exposure to outdoor light. The scientists suggest that spending long hours studying and doing homework can put pressure on the eyes. Furthermore, missing out on outdoor light causes the eyes to be deficient of Dopamin, a chemical playing a significant role to prevent myopia. The researchers also believe that students' behavior and environment have an significant impact on their myopia more than their genes' action.
I admit that long hours of reading are the main cause of my myopia. As I always consecutively read books for at least 2 hours during test period, my eyes are made pressured and fatigued. My improper reading's behavior leads me to have myopia symptom since I was thirteen. However, there are also other factors which contribute to my myopia such as reading in a dim light and using computer or electronic devices for a long time. That is why I agree to Professor Morgan's suggestion that a commitment to education greatly affects nowaday students' myopia.
On the other hand, I am not sure if lack of exposure to outdoor light is a cause of myopia or not unless the scientists are able to find more substantive evidents in the future. Nevertheless, I still support the way students should participate in outdoor activities since walking outside allows students to change atmosphere and the warmth of the sun can make them relaxed from stressful studies as well.
Although this study says that students' behavior and environment have an significant impact on their myopia more than their genes' action, I believe that their genes still have a vast influence; different genes contribute to different level of myopia. I have a friend whose family has no evident of myopia. In the same behavior and environment as other friends, no matter how hard she studies, she has never had myopia symptom. This is one of many examples makes me believe that the genes have an impact on myopia as much as the behavior and environment.
"Is it weird the hard-working Thai students like us wear glasses?" I am sure the answer is "No". At the present, not only Thai students but also other Asian's tend to wear glasses more and more as a result of myopia. If this upward trend continues in the next two decades, what do you think will happen to Asia?
According to Professor Ian Morgan, the head of the researchers from the Australia National University, the number of students suffering from myopia or short-sightedness in major Asian cities is extraordinarily increasing in the last two generations. In East Asia such as China, Korea and Japan, it has risen from around 20% of its population to well over 80%. In South East Asia such as Singapore, a dramatic rise in short-sightedness has been seen as well. Professor Morgan told BBC news that this happening is caused by two factors: a commitment to education and lack of exposure to outdoor light. The scientists suggest that spending long hours studying and doing homework can put pressure on the eyes. Furthermore, missing out on outdoor light causes the eyes to be deficient of Dopamin, a chemical playing a significant role to prevent myopia. The researchers also believe that students' behavior and environment have an significant impact on their myopia more than their genes' action.
I admit that long hours of reading are the main cause of my myopia. As I always consecutively read books for at least 2 hours during test period, my eyes are made pressured and fatigued. My improper reading's behavior leads me to have myopia symptom since I was thirteen. However, there are also other factors which contribute to my myopia such as reading in a dim light and using computer or electronic devices for a long time. That is why I agree to Professor Morgan's suggestion that a commitment to education greatly affects nowaday students' myopia.
On the other hand, I am not sure if lack of exposure to outdoor light is a cause of myopia or not unless the scientists are able to find more substantive evidents in the future. Nevertheless, I still support the way students should participate in outdoor activities since walking outside allows students to change atmosphere and the warmth of the sun can make them relaxed from stressful studies as well.
Although this study says that students' behavior and environment have an significant impact on their myopia more than their genes' action, I believe that their genes still have a vast influence; different genes contribute to different level of myopia. I have a friend whose family has no evident of myopia. In the same behavior and environment as other friends, no matter how hard she studies, she has never had myopia symptom. This is one of many examples makes me believe that the genes have an impact on myopia as much as the behavior and environment.
"Is it weird the hard-working Thai students like us wear glasses?" I am sure the answer is "No". At the present, not only Thai students but also other Asian's tend to wear glasses more and more as a result of myopia. If this upward trend continues in the next two decades, what do you think will happen to Asia?
References
To begin with, please allow me take my family an example to share with you. My grandparents both my mother's and my father's parents as well as my parents, no one wears glasses, but strange to say, my two young brothers and I are all nearsighted. Moreover, I know many of my friends are same. Actually, myopia is indeed a serious problem in Taiwan as well. According to plenty of real examples surrounding me, I have a few observations to the causes of the increasing myopia. I think the main reason is the way we live has changed, staying at home for a long time for watching TV, using computer and studying hard that are all indoor activities. In my conclusion, based on the results of this research, we already found out some factors but if researchers could further find out what the exactly main cause of myopia in the future so as to find out the way for the treatment, that would a good news for the nearsighted people. As to your questions, I think if myopia population is getting more in Asia, more and more Laser Eye Surgery are blossoming and waiting for your money.
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting my blog, Rainbow:) I agree with you that the way you use your eyes has a greater impact on myopia than the genetic. Your example is very clear. By the way, I just know that you have siblings!(I always thought you are only the one child in family hahaha)
DeleteI am the one who wear glasses. I used to be normal person who had good eye. In the past, I always want to wear glasses. I think it is cool to wear it. Three years ago I got pocket game(PSP) as my birthday gift from my mom. I played it every night of a year. So what is happening next, my eye-sight is getting shorter and shorter but I always glare it to the obscure things like normal. When I was in secondary 5 my symptom is getting worst.I could not even see a white-board. I told my mom and she brought me to the eye-glasses shop to measure my eye-sight. When I finished measurement, doctor said why you still don't wear glasses even your eye is rally bad. I said "I don't know" I just want to be normal guy. In that time i think glasses is very annoyed me.I should bring its to every where I go but now I feel alright about it. I plan to lasik when get 20.
ReplyDelete