Despite it all, we all know that blue eyed people (like me) are better. I don't play with this "brown eyes", ever!
;-) Annette Quoting [EMAIL PROTECTED]: > Earlier today I responded to a query about eye colour and vision from Harry > Avis off the top of my head. I've now followed up with > the poor man's version of a literature review: I searched PubMed for > abstracts. What I found suggests I won some, I lost some. > Here are the results. > > I suggested that blue-eyed people were more sensitive to light. As someone > pointed out to me off-list, if true, this would mean that > additional light would be entering through the iris, degrading vision. So > blue-eyed people would have poorer visual acuity in bright > light. > > False. Short (1975) found that "the density of iris pigmentation had no > significant effect on visual acuity under conditions of bright > light". > > I said that I thought that blue-eyed people were more prone to cataracts. > > False. Younan et al (2002) found an association between cataract and dark > brown iris colour, just the opposite of my claim. > > I said that I thought that blue-eyed people were more prone to macular > degeneration. > > True. Frank et al (2000) found that macular degeneration was more frequent in > white people with blue or hazel eyes. Of course, > this doesn't mean the decreased pigment is the cause--it could be a marker > for a genetic susceptibility. > > And I will throw in the additional finding that those with blue or gray eyes > are at increased risk of dying of metastatic intraocular > melanoma (Regan et al, 1999). Goody. > > To end on a positive note after that downer, recall that I said that boosting > lutein intake through eating spinach, corn, and orange > veggies seemed a promising way to reduce macular degeneration. The latest > edition of the British Medical Journal is out tonight, > and coincidentally, it has a review of macular degeneration. Chopdar et al > (2003) say: > > " By far the most biologically plausible micronutrients to have a potential > protective role in age related macular degeneration are the > carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which are potent antioxidants found in > high concentrations in the macular retina. The case for > further trials aimed at testing the role of lutein and zeaxanthin in the > prevention of age related macular degeneration is now > compelling." But while we wait for that trial, munching those veggies can't > hurt. > > Stephen > > Chopdar, A. (2003). Age related macular degeneration. British > Medical Journal, 326, 185-- > > Regan, S. et al (1999). Iris color as a prognostic factor in acular > melanoma. Archives of Ophthalmology, 117, 811-4 > > Frank, R. et al (2000). Race, iris color, and age-related macular > degeneration. Transactions of the American Ophtalmology Society, > 98, 109-15 > > Short, G. (1975). Iris pigmentation and photopic visual acuity: a > preliminary study. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, > 43, 425-33. > > Younan, C. et al (2002). Iris color and incident cataract and > cataract surgery. American Journal of Ophtalmology, 134, 273-4 > > _______________________________________________________ > Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470 > Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661 > Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Lennoxville, QC J1M 1Z7 > Canada > > Department web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy > Check out TIPS listserv for teachers of psychology at: > http://www.frostburg.edu/dept/psyc/southerly/tips > ________________________________________________________ > > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Annette Kujawski Taylor, Ph. D. Department of Psychology University of San Diego 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110 [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
