Contents
Scientists are of the opinion that babies born during the summer months are more likely to suffer from short-sightedness as adults as compared to babies born in the winter months. Earlier studies emphasized that genes were considered to be the prime cause of myopia in adults. However, later studies like this one reveals that exposure to light before and after birth can have a significant impact on the vision of a baby.
How does Sunlight Affect a Baby’s Eyesight?
Experts believe that sunlight can trigger certain biological signals, that can in turn, alter the development of the eyes. This change makes it difficult for babies born in the summer months to focus properly.
Though earlier studies effectively proved that
sunlight affects the pineal gland
(a small endocrine gland in the brain that produces melatonin), this one suggests that
melatonin
(a hormone that regulates waking and sleeping patterns)
can also regulate the eye length
thereby affecting the vision of a person.
For instance, Professor Michael Belkin, a co-author of the study, says that more sunlight implies less melatonin, which can result in longer eye length, which leads to short-sightedness.
Dr Yossi Mandel from the Tel Aviv University who led this study, examined the past and current medical records of about 2, 76,911 candidates who were enrolled into the Israeli military service between the years 2000 and 2004.
Results of the Study
The study revealed that candidates born in the months of June and July were 24% at a greater risk of developing severe myopia than those born in the months of December and January (which reported fewer myopic individuals).
The researchers also maintained that mild myopia in adults cannot be related to the month or light exposure immediately after the birth of a baby.
However, Professor Michael Belkin made it clear that the early exposure to natural light can have long-term consequences on the baby thereby leading to poor eyesight or short- sightedness in individuals. This study has been published in the journal Ophthalmology.
Related posts:
- Massage Is Beneficial For Babies and Moms
- The Secret of Delivering Intelligent Babies is a Fish-Filled Diet
- Kids Born Prematurely Need Follow-Up Eye Tests To Avoid Vision Loss
- Watch Your Babies In Car Seats
- Did You Know that Growth Hormones Promote Looks but Not Performance?
- Epidural During Labor May Hinder Breastfeeding
- Yoga to improve your eyesight
- Benefits of Infant Massage
- Overweight Kids Get Poor Sleep
- Are freckles heredity???
