Long-Sightedness

A research gap, not just a weaker connection

Long-sightedness, or hyperopia, happens when the eye is slightly too short for its focusing power, causing close objects to appear blurry. Unlike short-sightedness, which has attracted a genuine and growing body of gut microbiome research, direct studies connecting gut bacteria to long-sightedness specifically don't appear to exist yet. This isn't necessarily because no connection exists, but because researchers have concentrated almost entirely on short-sightedness, given how rapidly it's increasing worldwide and how much of a public health concern that rise has become.

Source: Genome-Wide Meta-Analysis of Myopia and Hyperopia Provides Evidence for Replication of 11 Loci

What the wider refractive error research suggests

Genetic studies looking at refractive error more broadly, covering both short and long-sightedness together, have identified shared gene regions involved in eye growth and shape. Since gut bacteria have been shown to influence eye elongation in short-sightedness through effects on structural proteins in the eye, it's plausible a similar pathway could play some role in the opposite direction, an eye that stays too short rather than growing too long. This remains speculative, however, extending from a related area rather than resting on direct evidence.

What this means for you

Long-sightedness needs a standard eye exam and correction with glasses or contact lenses, and children in particular should be checked for it since uncorrected long-sightedness can occasionally contribute to a squint or lazy eye if left untreated. There's no dedicated research yet showing that gut-supportive habits change long-sightedness specifically, so this page will be updated if that changes. A generally varied, plant-rich diet remains a reasonable habit for overall gut and eye health regardless. That's the same idea behind GutLab, everyday gut health starts with regularly feeding the microbiome a broad range of plant-rich ingredients.