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Published on: February 5, 2019
Effect of breast feeding on ocular morbidity
Adnan Aksoy1, Murat Ozdemir2, Lokman Aslan2
1Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
Insights
Infants not breastfed showed higher rates of refractive errors. Breastfeeding, with or without formula, appeared protective against these specific ocular conditions in early childhood.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatrics
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Ocular morbidity in infants is a significant concern.
- The role of human milk in preventing infant eye conditions requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of human milk consumption on ocular morbidity in children who did not breastfeed during their first six months of life.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective randomized study involving 154 elementary school students (66-84 months old).
- Participants were categorized into three age- and sex-matched groups based on feeding history: no breastfeeding, breastfeeding with formula, and exclusive breastfeeding.
- All subjects underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examinations.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher rates of refractive errors were observed in the group with no breastfeeding (23%) compared to those who were breastfed (with or without formula).
- No significant difference in refractive errors was found between the two breastfeeding groups.
- Allergic conjunctivitis rates did not differ significantly across the three groups.
Conclusions:
- Exclusive breastfeeding and breastfeeding supplemented with formula may offer protection against refractive errors in children.
- Larger sample size studies are recommended to confirm these findings regarding breastfeeding and ocular health.
Background:
To evaluate the effect of human milk on ocular morbidity in infants who did not breast feed during the first 6 months of life.
Material And Methods:
This retrospective randomized study included 154 subjects who were first or second grade elementary school students, 66-84 month of age. These children were randomly selected from 2080 students during health screenings. All of them were born at term and were normal birth weight. The study was composed of 3 age- and sex-matched groups. Group 1 included 52 subjects who had never been breast fed. Group 2 included 42 subjects who were breast fed and also received additional food (infant formula). Group 3 included 60 subjects who were only breast fed until 6 months old (no formula) except for the first month of life. All subjects underwent a complete ophthalmic examination and any morbidity was recorded. Frequencies of ocular morbidity were compared among the groups by using the chi-squared test.
Results:
We found significant refractive errors in 12 (23%) subjects in Group 1 (no breast feeding). There was no significant refractive error in Group 2 (breast feeding and formula) and Group 3 (breast feeding only). The difference among the groups was statistically significant (p=0.014, chi-squared test). Allergic conjunctivitis was found in 5 subjects in Group 1, 3 in Group 2, and 2 in Group 3. There was no significant difference among the groups (p=0.395).
Conclusions:
Refractive errors were more frequent in Group 1 (no breast feeding) than in Group 2 (breast feeding and formula) or Group 3 (breast feeding only). There is a need to confirm this finding by performing studies with larger sample sizes.
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