Summary
This Mendelian randomisation study used genetic variants as instrumental variables to establish causality between education and myopia in 67,798 UK Biobank participants. The analysis found strong evidence that additional years of education causally increase myopia risk (−0.27 dioptres per year), with the causal effect substantially stronger than observational associations. Conversely, myopia showed no significant causal influence on educational attainment, suggesting the association is driven by education's effect on vision rather than reverse causation.
UK applicability
These findings directly apply to UK populations, as the study cohort comprised participants from England, Scotland, and Wales. The results have implications for UK public health messaging around screen time and outdoor exposure during education, and for understanding myopia prevalence trends in the United Kingdom.
Key measures
Refractive error in dioptres; years of completed education; genetic variants associated with myopia (44 variants) and educational attainment (69 variants); observational regression coefficients and causal effect estimates with 95% confidence intervals
Outcomes reported
The study determined whether years of education causally influence myopia development or vice versa, using bidirectional Mendelian randomisation. Refractive error (measured in dioptres) and years of completed education were the primary outcome measures.
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