Do you see what I see? Maybe not, if you belong to certain racial groups

Tuesday, November 8, 2011 by

Ethnicity as a risk factor for eye disorders?

One of the more compelling findings of a recent comprehensive pediatric eye study discovered the presence of myopia, astigmatism and hyperopia among preschool children was determined by their respective ethnic groups.

The research, conducted by the National Institutes of Health, found that among preschoolers in the three ethnic groups studied — Hispanic, African-American and non-Hispanic white children — 4 percent of children had myopia, 21 percent were diagnosed with hyperopia and 10 percent had astigmatism.

The NIH study found that certain eye disorders are more prevalent in certain ethnic groups of preschoolers.

Upon further analysis, the NIH reported that myopia was more prevalent in African-American children at 6 percent, compared to 3 percent of Hispanic children and 1 percent of non-Hispanic white children diagnosed with the condition. Conversely, African-American preschoolers had the lowest incidences of hyperopia at 17 percent, versus 23 percent of Hispanic children and 25 percent of non-Hispanic white children who were diagnosed with hyperopia. Moreover, the NIH study revealed that 6 percent of non-Hispanic white preschoolers were least likely to be diagnosed with astigmatism, whereas Hispanic children, at 13 percent, and African-American preschoolers at 9 percent, were the groups most likely to have an astigmatism disorder.

The study, funded by the NIH’s National Eye Institute, was a collaborative effort between the Baltimore Pediatric Eye Disease Study and the Multi-Ethnic Pediatric Eye Disease Study. The BPEDS and MEPEDS results were culled from nearly 10,000 children ranging in age from 6 months to 6 years and residing in the Los Angeles county and Baltimore areas.

Study participants were evenly divided by gender and the ethnic breakdown was 25 percent non-Hispanic white; 32 percent, Hispanic; and 44 percent, African-American children.

In addition to ethnicity as a risk factor, the research also studied other risk factors including exposure to smoking, health insurance access, and age. According to the NIH report, additional follow-up studies could help researchers in better understanding the risk factors to eye disorders.

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One Response to Do you see what I see? Maybe not, if you belong to certain racial groups

  1. Steve Steverson says:
    November 8, 2011 at 2:58 pm

    This really is fascinating. Who would have thought eye issues could be broken down by ethnic categories! It would be interesting to know if not diagnosing an eye issues affects early-life learning experiences in school!