Health, UK (Commonwealth Union) – A recent study led by UCL researchers reveals that adults who experienced amblyopia, commonly known as ‘lazy eye,’ during childhood are at a heightened risk of hypertension, obesity, and metabolic syndrome in later life. Moreover, they face an increased likelihood of suffering from heart attacks.
Published in eClinicalMedicine, the study underscores that while it establishes a correlation between amblyopia and adverse health outcomes in adulthood, it does not establish causation.
The researchers carried out an analysis utilizing data from more than 126,000 participants aged between 40 and 69 years old, drawn from the UK Biobank cohort, all of whom had taken ocular examinations. During recruitment, participants were queried about their history of amblyopia treatment during childhood and whether they still experienced the condition in adulthood. Additionally, they were asked about medical diagnoses of diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardio/cerebrovascular diseases such as angina, heart attack, or stroke.
In the meantime, their BMI (body mass index), blood glucose, and cholesterol levels were assessed alongside mortality tracking.
Research findings revealed that among 3,238 participants who experienced ‘lazy eye’ during childhood, 82.2 percent had continued to have impaired vision in one eye as adults.
The study unveiled that individuals having amblyopia during childhood had a 29 percent higher likelihood of developing diabetes, a 25 percent higher likelihood of hypertension, and a 16 percent higher likelihood of obesity. Additionally, they faced an elevated risk of heart attack, even after adjusting for other risk factors such as existing diseases, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
This heightened susceptibility to health issues was evident not only in those whose vision problems persisted but also to a certain degree in participants who had experienced amblyopia during childhood but had 20/20 vision in adulthood, although the association was not as pronounced.
Corresponding author, Professor Jugnoo Rahi of the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology as well as the Great Ormond Street Hospital, says “Amblyopia is an eye condition affecting up to four in 100 children. In the UK, all children are supposed to have vision screening before the age of five, to ensure a prompt diagnosis and relevant ophthalmic treatment.
“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.
Amblyopia, characterized by underdeveloped vision in one eye, can stem from conditions like a squint or long-sightedness.
This neurodevelopmental disorder arises from a disruption in the coordination between the brain and the affected eye, impairing the brain’s ability to process visual signals effectively. Since it often results in diminished vision in only one eye, many children may not perceive any visual impairment until diagnosed through standard vision tests around the age of four or five.
A recent report from the Academy of Medical Sciences, which included researchers from the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health, urges policymakers to address the declining physical and mental health of children under five in the UK and to give priority to child health.
The team aspires that their latest research will underscore this imperative and emphasize the pivotal role of childhood health in shaping adult well-being.
Dr. Siegfried Wagner, the lead author from the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital, indicated, that vision and ocular health serve as crucial indicators of overall well-being. Whether it’s cardiovascular issues or metabolic disorders, they are intricately intertwined with other bodily systems. This underscores the importance of screening for optimal vision in both eyes.
“We emphasise that our research does not show a causal relationship between amblyopia and ill health in adulthood. Our research means that the ‘average’ adult who had amblyopia as a child is more likely to develop these disorders than the ‘average’ adult who did not have amblyopia. The findings don’t mean that every child with amblyopia will inevitably develop cardiometabolic disorders in adult life.”
The maintenance of health from a young age that leads to healthier life in the long run later in adult life has often been acknowledged by scientists in various different fields. Gerontologists in particular have pointed out how older adults who live close to 100 years have good health in early years combined with other factors.
