Question
If both parents are highly nearsighted, will the child also inherit nearsightedness?
Answer
High myopia indeed has a certain genetic predisposition, but whether a person will develop nearsightedness is not solely determined by genetic factors. The main causes of nearsightedness include both genetic and environmental factors. Research on genetic factors shows that the offspring of a family with high myopia have a higher risk of developing nearsightedness, but for general nearsightedness, the genetic influence is not significant. Environmental factors, particularly eye habits such as reading distance, reading time, light intensity, and poor reading posture (such as reading while moving or lying down), are considered key factors in causing nearsightedness.