Determined cells in the eye cause nearsightedness

A new study in rats showed that you are nearsighted or not due to a specific type of cell in the retina.

Researchers in the Feinberg School of Pharmacy at Northwestern University in Chicago say that this type of cell is very sensitive to light and controls eye development.

According to the researchers, if the cell fails and "talks" with the eye that it will have to grow longer, the images will not focus on the retina as usual.

This finding may lead to a new therapeutic goal to control myopia.

The ophthalmologist professor Greg Schwartz said: "The eye needs to stop growing at the right time when you are young. But for years, no one knows what kind of cell carries those signals. Most likely. We found this important missing link, that is, cells actually take on that task and the nerve circuits activate this important visual function. "

This study was conducted on rats and published on February 20 in the journal Biological Current Biology.

Next, the researchers wanted to determine the specific gene types of these cells so that they could be increased or decreased in laboratory mice. That will allow them to consider their ability to activate or treat nearsightedness.

Schwartz's research is funded by the US National Institutes of Health. He said: "This finding may lead to a new treatment goal for myopia control."

However, studies in animals do not always produce similar results in humans.

Researchers say more than 1 billion people worldwide are nearsighted, and that number continues to increase. The reason for myopia is much related to staying in the house too much and not being exposed to natural light enough time.