Previous studies have already established a link between childhood amblyopia and cardiometabolic dysfunction in later life. This is not unimportant, as amblyopia is still the most common visual impairment in childhood and could therefore potentially affect many people.
A large-scale study (DOI.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102493) from the UK has now investigated whether adults who suffered from the eye disorder in childhood actually have an increased risk of cardiovascular or metabolic diseases.
The results were clear: adults who suffered from amblyopia as children were indeed more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, obesity and metabolic syndrome. Given this data, it should come as little surprise that the risk of heart attack and the associated mortality were also higher in this population.
How exactly these correlations arise has not been conclusively clarified and could be a topic for further research in the future. What seems obvious, however, is that amblyopia is not a localised problem, but rather a generalised disease process.
Studies have shown that in patients with unilateral amblyopia, the second unaffected eye also exhibited morphological changes. This suggests a systemic pathogenesis and could be a starting point for further studies.
Doctors should be aware of the possible later implications of amblyopia. Appropriate follow-up care could reduce the risk of mortality. Children suffering from the eye disease should be monitored accordingly and the family should be informed about possible later consequences. The topic offers further starting points for future studies, as the correlations have not yet been conclusively clarified.