People Who Wear Glasses Are More Intelligent (And Here’s Why)

Do the brightest minds see dimly? We tell you that at first glance this shortcut seems easy. When we imagine the greatest talents of that time, our mind can’t help but picture them wearing glasses. But is this preconceived idea true? Yes, psychiatrist Marine Collomb tells us, intelligent people often wear glasses.

Although surprising, this cliché would be based on very serious scientific discoveries. HPI will have a 28% higher risk of developing myopia compared to the rest of the population. How to explain this hypothesis? Backed by scientific studies, we draw from psychiatrist Marine Colombel.

Spending too much time studying hurts your vision

For several years, researchers have been noticing this interesting link: Myopes appear to have higher intelligence, on average, than non-myopes. This correlation does not necessarily mean a causal relationship, but many scientific studies have attempted to unravel its mysteries. published in journal ophthalmology In 2016, research found that people with longer education were more likely to develop myopia.

This observation suggests that exposure to near visual tasks may influence the development of myopia, ultimately making sense: reading too much, studying for long periods of time or using screens for long periods of time… These habits require close vision and require adaptation. So the researchers’ first hypothesis is that the eye alters distance vision. People who spend more years in school are more likely to develop myopia.

Nearsightedness and intelligence: the genome question

Another explanation for this surprising phenomenon is based on genetics. researchers ofUniversity of Bristol demonstrated in 2018 that higher levels of intelligence were associated with a greater risk of myopia. Genetic and behavioral data from the participants revealed that there may be common genetic predispositions for near vision and higher cognitive abilities.

A hypothesis confirmed by psychiatrist Marine Collombelle. “Myopia comes not only from premature eye damage associated with reading grimoires but also from genetics,” the expert underlines. This surprising link would come from the fact that the same genes influence IQ and myopia. HPI will have greater eye axial length (in other words, eye length), which will be associated with brain development. To understand this surprising correlation, we must look at the regions coded by the genome. Some factors of intelligence, such as the ability to remember and think, develop along with axial thrust of the eye.Psychiatrist says. To simplify, we will say that the development of intelligence occurs simultaneously with the axial length of the eye, which is associated with myopia. Thus it can cause axial growth disorders and cause vision problems, especially myopia.

Be careful, the conversation is not necessarily valid. If science confirms that myopia often occurs in people who have completed extensive study, then we should not conclude that myopia is a necessary condition for intelligence! Everyone has to strike a balance between intellectual stimulation and visual cleanliness to open their eyes to their mental foresight.