New Delhi, Aug 20 (NationPress) A diet abundant in omega-3 fatty acids is not only beneficial for adults but is also essential in preventing the onset of myopia (shortsightedness) in children, according to recent research conducted globally.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs), primarily sourced from dietary options like fish oils, are believed to enhance or avert various chronic eye ailments, including dry eye disease and age-related macular degeneration.

However, the potential of these fatty acids to prevent myopia had been uncertain, as previous studies were experimental and did not involve human subjects.

“This research provides human evidence that a higher intake of dietary ω-3 PUFAs correlates with shorter axial length and reduced myopic refraction, underscoring ω-3 PUFAs as a possible protective dietary element against the development of myopia,” stated Prof Jason C Yam from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the study’s lead author.

Axial length measures the distance from the cornea at the front of the eye to the retina at the back and serves as an indicator of myopia progression. Myopic refraction, also known as nearsightedness, refers to a refractive error that causes light to focus in front of the retina, leading distant objects to appear hazy.

“Omega-3 fatty acids may mitigate myopia by enhancing blood circulation through the choroid, a vascular layer in the eye that supplies nutrients and oxygen, thereby preventing scleral hypoxia—a lack of oxygen in the eye's white area, which is a critical factor in the development of shortsightedness,” explained Yam.

The study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, also revealed that a high intake of saturated fats—found in items like butter, palm oil, and red meat—may elevate the risk of myopia.

Researchers from China, the US, and Singapore analyzed data from 1,005 children aged 6-8 years in China.

They evaluated the children’s eyesight alongside their dietary habits and physical activity levels.

About a quarter of the participants (276; 27.5 percent) were diagnosed with myopia.

Higher consumption of omega-3 fatty acids was linked to a lower likelihood of developing the condition, while increased intake of saturated fats was associated with a heightened risk.

This observational study cannot establish causal or temporal relationships, the researchers noted, acknowledging that food frequency questionnaires depend on recall and merely offer a “snapshot in time” of dietary habits.