Jewish children and teenagers from Ethiopia who have recently made aliyah to Israel have fewer vision problems compared to native-born Israeli children, according to a study conducted by researchers at Assuta Ashdod Hospital, Ben-Gurion and Bar-Ilan Universities, Ziv Medical Center, and Emek Medical Center, published in the April edition of the Israel Medical Association Journal (IMAJ). The researchers reported that although Ethiopian immigrant children and adolescents had little to no access to adequate ophthalmological examination and treatment in Ethiopia, they had a lower prevalence of amblyopia (“lazy eye”), cross-eye, and other ophthalmological conditions compared to Israeli children and adolescents.
The study included 223 children and teenagers, 136 of whom were born in Israel, and 87 came to Israel from Ethiopia. The prevalence of lazy eye was 3.4% among Ethiopian immigrant youths and 4.4% among Israeli-born children and adolescents. The researchers had expected the prevalence of lazy eye among immigrants to be higher due to the lack of or inadequate ophthalmological care in Ethiopia.
The researchers suggested that one of the reasons for the lower prevalence of vision problems among Ethiopian immigrant children and adolescents is their minimal exposure to smartphones, tablets, TVs, and other electronic devices common among Israeli children. Overuse of electronic screens by young people is known to increase the risk of vision problems, including myopia and other refractive errors. The minimal exposure to electronic devices may have resulted in a protective effect on Ethiopian children’s eyes.
Another suggestion the researchers made was that the Ethiopian children, who are Orthodox Jews, started their education from as young as three years old, and boys studied Torah for many hours a day, becoming accustomed to reading small fonts for many hours from a young age, which could have strengthened their eyes. The researchers pointed out that genetics could also play a protective role, but they had no evidence of it.
The fact that Ethiopian immigrant children and adolescents have a lower prevalence of vision problems in comparison to Israeli-born children and adolescents, despite receiving little to no adequate ophthalmological care in Ethiopia, is a surprising finding. The study’s authors recommend further research to understand better the protective factors, including genetic factors, that could be contributing to the lower prevalence of vision problems among Ethiopian immigrant children and adolescents.
The study’s findings raise awareness of the potential adverse effects of electronic devices on children’s eyesight and the importance of early education in strengthening their eyesight. The research also highlights the need for healthcare professionals to explore protective factors for eye health and not assume that certain populations have higher risks of vision problems without supporting evidence.
