Researchers at Northwestern in Chicago may have found a retinal ganglion cell responsible for myopia and it might be linked with the amount time spent indoors.
What is the cell called?
Researchers named it the “ON Delayed” retinal ganglion cell in reference to its slow responses to lights becoming brighter.
What’s the link with indoor light?
The ON Delayed retinal ganglion cell is very sensitive to light and could be over-stimulated by the indoor light spectrum. It is hypothesized that over-stimulation of this cell can cause aberrant over-growth of the eye, leading to myopia.
What is the next step?
The goal is to find a gene specific to this cell. Then scientists can turn its activity up or down in a genetic mouse model to try to induce or cure myopia. (via)
