My husband and I are both nearsighted over 7 diopters. If we have children, will it be inherited? What is the percentage of inheritance? (Han, 25 years old, Ho Chi Minh City)
Reply:
Refractive errors include nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The two main causes of refractive errors are genetics and environment. Of these, genetic factors account for a small proportion, often found in children whose parents have refractive errors. With nearsightedness, if parents have nearsightedness of less than 4 diopters, the possibility of passing it on to their children is about 10%, if parents have nearsightedness of 6 diopters or more, the possibility of passing it on to their children is up to over 90%.
The remaining diseases are caused by environmental factors, specifically by unreasonable living habits such as sitting in the wrong position or looking too close, affecting the eye's regulation; reading in low light conditions or in a study or living space with low light, causing children's eyes to need to adjust too much. At the same time, if electronic devices (computers, tablets, phones) are overused, emitting blue light (a type of light similar to ultraviolet rays), it will be harmful to the eyes. In addition, children with refractive errors can also be due to a diet lacking essential nutrients such as vitamin A, omega 3, vitamin C, calcium, etc.
To recognize refractive errors in children, parents should pay attention to signs such as children often squinting, tilting their heads when looking; not seeing clearly the writing on the board, writing incorrectly, writing off-line; the child's eye regulation is disturbed, leading to headaches, eye pain, and watery eyes.
Reduced vision due to untreated refractive errors will make it difficult for children to study and live. In addition, refractive errors can lead to many complications such as amblyopia, strabismus, macular degeneration, retinal detachment..., even blindness. Therefore, as soon as parents detect signs of refractive errors in their children, they need to take them to an eye specialist for timely examination and treatment.
BS.CK2 Nguyen Thi Bach Tuyet
Ophthalmology Department, Interdisciplinary Department, Children's Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City
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