I've noticed that a very large proportion of Chinese girls are short-sighted, when compared with other ethnic groups.

Is this coincidence, or genetical?

Is this anecdotal or do you have some evidence for this?

Do you mean "nearsighted," or do you mean that they don't plan for the future? :)

samcdkey:

Is this anecdotal or do you have some evidence for this?

Anecdotal. I'm at a university which has a very large number of Chinese girls, and a very large proportion of them wear spectacles.

I'm not sure if this is genetical or anecdotal, which is why I'm asking.

"We don't really know why these differences exist," said Karla Zadnik, the lead author of the multi-center study and an associate professor of optometry at Ohio State University. "It's probably like most of our modern conditions and diseases a mix a nature and nurture and factors that interact together.

In this study, 18.5 percent of the Asian children were nearsighted thats more than four times the number of nearsighted white children; three times the number of farsighted African American children; and one-and-a-half times the number of nearsighted Hispanic children.

"But uncorrected vision problems are a major public health problem, and a large number of children are visually handicapped in their everyday classroom, recreational and other activities."

Nearly one out of five Asian-American children in the study was nearsighted, and one out of five white children was farsighted. More than a third of the Hispanic children had astigmatism.

The results appear in the current issue of the Archives of Opthalmology.

The researchers evaluated the vision of 2,523 children from four ethnic groups: 534 were African American; 491 were Asian; 463 were Hispanic; and 1,035 were white. These findings were part of the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Ethnicity in Refractive Error (CLEERE) Study, an eight-year study that looks at the prevalence of vision problems -- myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism -- across ethnic groups. The CLEERE study is in its fifth year.

Parents filled out questionnaires covering their childrens medical history and also indicated their childs ethnicity. The children were in grades one through eight at the time of the study and lived in communities in Alabama, California and Texas. Each child was evaluated in his or her respective school.

In this study, 18.5 percent of the Asian children were nearsighted -- thats more than four times the number of nearsighted white children (4.4 percent); three times the number of farsighted African American children (6.6 percent); and one-and-a-half times the number of nearsighted Hispanic children (13.2 percent.)

On the flip side, nearly one in five white children (19.3 percent) were farsighted -- three times the number of both farsighted Asian children (6.3 percent) and farsighted African-American children (6.4 percent), and one-and-a-half times the number of farsighted Hispanic children (12.7 percent).

Astigmatism ran fairly high in each group, with Hispanic children having the highest prevalence (37 percent), followed by Asian children (34 percent), white children (26 percent) and, finally, African-American children (20 percent.)

The researchers are also studying the rate at which childrens eyes change during their elementary and middle school years.

"About 2 percent of children are nearsighted when they enter school," Zadnik said. "Children tend to develop myopia between 8 and 12 years old. In fact, most first graders are slightly farsighted when they begin school.

"As the body grows, that farsightedness tends to decrease," she continued. "But for reasons that are still unclear, a childs eyes sometimes keep growing until he or she reaches her teen years. Its this growth that, in some cases, contributes to nearsightedness."

http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/cleere.htm

Do you mean "nearsighted," or do you mean that they don't plan for the future?

"Nearsighted" is an Americanism. Remember that the English invented English.

While I lived in China, it was quite obvious that a lot more Chinese wear glasses than Americans or Europeans, and not just girls. I thought there were more Chinese males than females that wore glasses. I always thought that this was due to the intense pressure they were under - mostly from their parents - to study for school, take cram school classes in the evening, then spend the rest of the night studying for their classes the next day.

While I lived in China, it was quite obvious that a lot more Chinese wear glasses than Americans or Europeans, and not just girls. I thought there were more Chinese males than females that wore glasses. I always thought that this was due to the intense pressure they were under - mostly from their parents - to study for school, take cram school classes in the evening, then spend the rest of the night studying for their classes the next day.When were you there? I'm sure the majority of Americans of either sex, especially under fifty, prefer contact lenses. In China, I don't think they were available and affordable until recently.

How many Americans of your age do you see wearing glasses anymore? You can be sure that the rest of them do not all have 20/20 uncorrected vision.

I've noticed that a very large proportion of Chinese girls are short-sighted, when compared with other ethnic groups.
And, on the same subject: why are most basketball players black? :)

When were you there? I'm sure the majority of Americans of either sex, especially under fifty, prefer contact lenses. In China, I don't think they were available and affordable until recently.

How many Americans of your age do you see wearing glasses anymore? You can be sure that the rest of them do not all have 20/20 uncorrected vision.Yes, That's an excellent point. I was in Mainland China two years ago and Taiwan almost ten years ago now. Ironically, even though the income is higher in Taiwan, my memory of more students wearing classes is of Taiwan students: not Mainland China. Also, girls will tend to want contact lenses more so then guys because they'd be more concerned about their beauty. I don't know? Chinese girls are very beautiful with or without glasses. I think wearing glasses often makes one look more intelligent, don't you?

redarmy11:
The height. That's why most black people are faster and can jump higher than most other groups, longer legs. Also, more black people play basketball when they are young. There are exceptions though, my friend Bill Guun can play basketball better than almost every black person who I know.
Better questions would be:
Why are Germans so damn built? Why are Mongolians so much more yellow than Japanese? Why are British so damn white? Why do the French Olympic Gymnastic team have such big eyes? Why do Chinese girls, and most Asians other than Koreans, look so good?

redarmy11:
The height. That's why most black people are faster and can jump higher than most other groups, longer legs
It's not quite that simple.

World High Jump Records:

Mark (Metres) ..... Holder ............................................. Ethnicity

2.45 .................... Javier Sotomayor (Current) .............. Black
2.42 .................... Patrik Sjoberg (1987) ...................... White
2.41 .................... Igor Paklin (Sep. 1985) .................... White
2.40 .................... Rudolf Povarnitsyn (Aug. 1985) ........ White

Clearly there's more to it than jumping ability. Want to try again?

Four best things in life...
An American Lifestyle
A German Car
A Swiss bank account
A Japanese wife
An african tool

That's 5. And I strongly dispute the first.

That's 5. And I strongly dispute the first.
yes it is 5 sorry ,didn't realize i had just 4 fingers..oops!!
whatz wrong with an american lifestyle?

I wish I had time to give you a detailed answer on that one, Vega. Unfortunately not - must be off. Seek ye a false primate and Wisdom shall be revealed unto ye.

"Nearsighted" is an Americanism. Remember that the English invented English.

And remember that Americans speak American, not English

I've noticed that a very large proportion of Chinese girls are short-sighted, when compared with other ethnic groups.

Is this coincidence, or genetical?


A theory?:

China is densly populated crowded area where I imagine (never been) there is little to see in the distance as the distance is obscured. Thus long range vision may not get the chance to develop sufficiently, hence most likely to be short sighted.

This (as I read many yrs ago..so may not be correct..I'll hunt for source) was the case for tribal peoples living in midst of forrests, when faced with an expanse of land they could not see in the disatnce as living amongst trees their vision had not had the chance to develop.

EDIT:

here we are

http://www.china.org.cn/english/Life/160025.htm

"40% Chinese Adolescents Short Sighted


A research showed that Chinese adolescents affected by myopia disease, or short-sightedness, tend to be younger and younger, China News Service reported yesterday.

China now has 5 million blinded people and 6 million people with low vision. The number of children who have slanting eyes or poor vision reaches 10 million. About 40 percent of adolescents in China are short-sighted. In college, such ratio is as high as 70 percent.

There is a remarkable increase for the number of short-sighted children aged 7-9. Many children become short-sighted at their school age or even earlier. In China, about 70 percent of adolescents become short-sighted during puberty, the second most in world.

Experts said that there are many factors that contribute to short-sightednesss among adolescents at an earlier age. Besides heredity factors, the disease is mostly linked with children's too much involvement in various pre-school classes, playing computer games, watching televisions and films. A higher living standard and adolescents' physical development at an earlier age also contribute to the disease.

(China News Service March 3, 2006)"

Long distance not getting chance to develop...not exactly what I said but same cause

Oh, I don't find that theory very viable. It is true that the majority of "young" Chinese do keep to themselves rather than looking around everywhere like Westerners do, but how can that be such a quick evolutionary change. China is really opening up now. Not just to foreignors, but to a large proportion of Chinese who now travel to the scenic attractions in China: Huang Shan, West Lake, Beijing Forbidden City, Ba De Ling Great Wall, cruises down the Yangtze River, Chang De, Nepal, Tibet. These are now all tourists destinations for Chinese and they go there and marvel at the surrounding beauty in the distance.

oh and most chinese girls got small T*ts and tight P%%^@#s!!!

I've heard there's a correlation between shortsightedness and maths ability.

redarmy11:
The height. That's why most black people are faster and can jump higher than most other groups, longer legs. Also, more black people play basketball when they are young.
Link?

Remember that the English invented English.

And sodomy!

I've noticed that a very large proportion of Chinese girls are short-sighted, when compared with other ethnic groups.

Is this coincidence, or genetical?

I come from Hong Kong
As I can see, nearly ALL teenagers wear glasses

Ok. Well as I understand this eyeball stuff, most vision problems are correctable. This is because most vision problems are the result of bad blood flow to the eye ball. Meaning the vision problems that you see in most people are due to bad vascular blood flow. ten to one i would bet that eye problems are a sign of a person that has bad vascular structrue thur out the body,heart attact and stroke candidates in latter years of their life. they probally will have other problems with breathing and will have signs of numbmess in the arms and legs when sitting or resting on their body weight.(arms and legs that fall a sleep due to blood flow cutting off.)
The blood return veins, capillaries that return blood from the limbs,have a shunt. flap that if its timing is not correct in pluse could be the problem, which would suggest that a stronger heart was needed, or just simply more physcial activity, or even a slightly higher blood pressure.

Evenso the palapation of blood through the body my not be the cause in certain groups, diet may be a problem a lack of calcium in asian diets might be a cause for the vision problems seen in asian, soy bean products a stable in asain diet may be a good source of some nutrients, but soy bean blocks the absorbtion of calcium.
other dietary elements may also be the cause such as complexed chemicals, mainly because what ever enters the human body through the blood stream is directly pumped to the eyes immeadtly, this means badly proccessed foods, and the toxins that are not cleaned out by the liver. one of the most immeadte entrys to the blood stream is through the lungs so a lack of oxygen will starve the eye ball from development and as well toxins breathed in will attack the eye.

Overall the eye ball is very sensitive, infact light sensitive. to deprive the eyeball over time from its nutrients or any of it nutreints will result in bad vision, every time!!

A increase in blood flow,massage habitually will improve vision, make for better vision. blood flow to the eye is key in correcting bad vision


DwayneD.L.Rabon

I come from Hong Kong
As I can see, nearly ALL teenagers wear glasses

I have been to Hong Kong about 30-40 times and I definitely agree. As I stated above, I always thought that this was due to the intense pressure they were under to study for school: cram school classes after school, then spending the rest of the night studying for classes the next day.

Can you share with us the reasons why you think that teenagers wear glasses in Hong Kong? Thanks.

redarmy11:
The height. That's why most black people are faster and can jump higher than most other groups, longer legs.
Why did the Swedes win the high jump and triple jump medals at the last Olympics? And after Wariner's 400m race, it seems white people are faster and can jump higher, at least in formal competitions.

Can you share with us the reasons why you think that teenagers wear glasses in Hong Kong? Thanks.You didn't ask me, but in my opinion there can only be one reason: Contact lenses are not in vogue there as they are here.

It's not quite that simple.

World High Jump Records:

Mark (Metres) ..... Holder ............................................. Ethnicity

2.45 .................... Javier Sotomayor (Current) .............. Black
2.42 .................... Patrik Sjoberg (1987) ...................... White
2.41 .................... Igor Paklin (Sep. 1985) .................... White
2.40 .................... Rudolf Povarnitsyn (Aug. 1985) ........ White

Clearly there's more to it than jumping ability. Want to try again?

See? The black fellar jumps higher! :cool:

You proved his point.

You didn't ask me, but in my opinion there can only be one reason: Contact lenses are not in vogue there as they are here.Fraggle: I really do hope that firecross replies. this is not a question of being "in vogue" or not. The majority of the students in the younger generation bracket have no decision of where the money goes, let alone asking their parents for contact lenses. Let's hope that we can give firecross the opportunity to reply. He is from Hong Kong and is a vital source of firsthand knowledge that neither you or I have.

Fraggle: I really do hope that firecross replies. this is not a question of being "in vogue" or not. The majority of the students in the younger generation bracket have no decision of where the money goes, let alone asking their parents for contact lenses. Let's hope that we can give firecross the opportunity to reply. He is from Hong Kong and is a vital source of firsthand knowledge that neither you or I have.
I'm not a "he" nor do I have detailed optimological information about Hong Kong trends. With Hong Kong following the same liberal politics and fashion trends as the west, I would expect minimal difference in appearances or ideas. It seems that through globalism we have removed local difference so everything is the same way everywhere, with acceleration towards the lowest common denominator so the more banal ideas rule and are propagated until all fall into compliance.

Asians are also more prone to narrow angle glaucoma, while whites are more prone to open angle glaucoma. It's simply genetics. Identical wins, for instance, almost always have very similiar glasses prescriptions. Sometimes, they are a mirror image of each other {ie twin number one minus four in the right and minus six on the left; twin two minus six on the right and minus four on the left}.

Getting away from the eyes, blacks get sickle cell anemia, Jews get cystic fibrosis, sarcoidosis usually affects blacks, macular degeneration mainly affects whites. Biology is destiny.

I'm not a "he" nor do I have detailed optimological information about Hong Kong trends. With Hong Kong following the same liberal politics and fashion trends as the west, I would expect minimal difference in appearances or ideas. It seems that through globalism we have removed local difference so everything is the same way everywhere, with acceleration towards the lowest common denominator so the more banal ideas rule and are propagated until all fall into compliance.Sorry firecross, my slight error there. I was referring to geoffreyfai's post above as he/she posted "I am from Hong Kong."