The population-based, cross-sectional analysis included 9,970 children aged 6 months to 72 months from Los Angeles and Baltimore. Parental questionnaires and eye exams were administered, and demographic, behavioural and clinical risk factors were determined.
Compared with their non-Hispanic white counterparts, African American and Hispanic children were more likely to be myopic. Children 6 months to 35 months old were also more predisposed to myopia than older study participants.
Non-Hispanic white and Hispanic children were more likely to be hyperopic than African American children. Hyperopia was also more frequent among children whose parents had health insurance and whose mothers smoked during pregnancy.
"Given that both myopia and hyperopia are risk factors for the development of amblyopia and strabismus, these risk factors should be considered when developing guidelines for screening and intervention in preschool children," the study authors wrote.
However, they also emphasized that outcomes should be interpreted with caution and recommended validation through prospective research.
Dr Moshegov says “The findings in this study reflect the genetic predisposition people have to the different optical errors requiring glasses. Genetics is likely to be a much stronger factor than the environment such as the amount of reading children do, or how often they use a computer etc. Particularly if parents suspect a turn in a child's eye, or that one eye sees bet than the other, they should have their child examined by an ophthalmologist or optometrist."
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