[Medical Q&A] Is astigmatism hereditary?

Author: Wang Mengyu: The Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

Reviewer: Wu Qiang, Chief Physician, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Astigmatism has a certain genetic tendency, but it is not absolute because astigmatism is also affected by other factors.

Astigmatism is a type of refractive error, which is mainly related to the curvature of the cornea. In simple terms, myopia means "seeing things clearly at close range but blurry at far distances"; astigmatism means "seeing things unclearly at close range and far distances", and seeing double images. In order to see objects clearly, people with astigmatism will use the eye's adjustment power as much as possible, which will cause the eye muscles to tense and lead to visual fatigue. If visual fatigue is not taken seriously, its severity will worsen and the visual quality will be seriously deteriorated, such as worsening double images and glare.

Related studies have shown that astigmatism is somewhat hereditary, especially when both parents have high astigmatism (when the astigmatism is above 150 degrees). Moreover, most astigmatism is congenital. Astigmatism in infants and young children is related to the development and degree of compression of the eyeball in the mother's belly during the fetal period. For example, children with umbilical cords around their necks often have congenital high astigmatism. Among children under 2 years old, more than 50% have astigmatism, mostly 100 to 200 degrees; among children aged 2 to 4 years old, 30% to 40% have astigmatism, between 100 and 200 degrees. Generally speaking, the degree of astigmatism will become less and less with age. Therefore, it is a normal physiological phenomenon for children to have a certain amount of astigmatism, but astigmatism that exceeds a certain limit needs treatment, such as 1-year-old children with astigmatism ≥ 250 degrees, 2-year-old children with astigmatism ≥ 200 degrees, and 4-year-old children with astigmatism ≥ 150 degrees, then medical treatment is required. From birth to 6 years old is a critical period for visual development. Regular check-ups should be conducted to pay attention to changes in children's astigmatism.

Therefore, even if there is a history of astigmatism in the family, it does not mean that the next generation will definitely inherit it. Through regular eye examinations, astigmatism problems can be discovered and treated in time to ensure the health of children's vision.