Omega-3 fatty acids could help to prevent near sightedness (myopia) while eating more saturated fats could increase the risk of the condition, a study has suggested.
Omega-3 fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) are found mostly in fish oils and while they are known to prevent a number of eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, their role in myopia is less understood.
It is estimated that around half of the global population will suffer from near sightedness by 2050. Excessive screen time and not spending enough time outdoors are thought to be risk factors, along with inherited risk.
Researchers explored the link between diet and myopia by looking at data from just over 1,000 Chinese children aged between 6 and 8.
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Eyesight was assessed and families were asked to complete questionnaires about their diet, with food categorised into 10 groups: bread/cereals/pasta/rice/noodles, vegetables and legumes, fruit, meat, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products, drinks, dim sum/snacks/fats/oils, and soups.
This was used to calculate nutrients and dietary make-up, looking at areas including protein, vitamins, saturated fat and iron.
Families also reported how much time children spent outdoors and on screens.
The research found that just over a quarter of the children had myopia, and that a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids was linked to a lower risk of the condition.
Another key finding, based on eye assessments such as cycloplegic spherical equivalent which measures refractive error, was that children with the highest saturated fat intake were more at risk of myopia.
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Saturated fats are commonly found in food such as butter, palm oil, and red meat.
The study authors have suggested that omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of myopia by boosting blood flow through the vascular layer in the eye which is responsible for delivering nutrients and oxygen. This prevents oxygen deficiency in the white of the eye, a key factor in the development of myopia.
While stressing that this was an observational study which can’t establish causal factors, the authors said: “This study provides the human evidence that higher dietary ω-3 PUFA intake is associated with shorter axial length and less myopic refraction, highlighting ω-3 PUFAs as a potential protective dietary factor against myopia development.”
Read more in British Journal of Ophthalmology
