Being indoor all the time can affect the eyes, as indoor lighting is different from sunlight. Natural light can have its benefits, as a study shows. Indoor time might affect kids' eyes over time.
A cell in the retina can be affected by the amount of time a child spends indoor. Over time, the cell might dysfunction, which can lead to myopia. The cell is said to be highly sensitive to light and can be affected by the amount of light the eye receives.
Researchers from Northwestern University led by Greg Schwartz have discovered the cell in the retina. Schwartz is the lead investigator and assistant professor of Ophthalmology at the Feinberg School of Medicine. He has said that the discovery could lead to making new therapies for myopia.
The cell controls how the eye grows and develops. If the retina grows too long, it could lead to a myopic vision which could mean that even as kids they would have to wear glasses. The cell has been called the ON Delayed. The cell has been found to respond slowly as lights become brighter.
Indoor lighting has a high red and green contrast, according to Northwestern Now. This could overstimulate the ON Delayed cell, which would then result in the retina growing too long. To study this, Schwartz along with Adam Feinberg, a postdoctoral fellow of Ophthalmology, has used microscopic glass electrodes on mouse retina. This was done while the mouse is shown light patterns from a projector.
The next target of Schwartz is to find the gene which regulates the cell, as Science Daily reports. This would be so as to find out if the gene can be turned on and off, and at the same time to find out how myopia can be cured. Schwartz is also trying to find other cell types which control the retina.
Eyesight is important to people. Damage to the eyes can start from childhood if proper care is not given. Indoor time might affect kids' eyes. A study has shown that losing weight might also depend on the environment.
