In a world first, Melbourne researchers have dispelled the longstanding stereotype that people who wear glasses are more nerdy or geeky than others.
In fact, the opposite was true, said Professor Paul Baird from the University of Melbourne's Centre for Eye Research Australia.
"We have literally busted the myth that people who wear glasses are introverted or have particular personality characteristics," he said.
"They are more likely to be agreeable and open, rather than closed and introverted."
Prof Baird and his colleagues came to the conclusion in the world's biggest study of factors linked to short-sightedness or myopia, a complex eye condition affecting about one in four Australians.
The team analysed the personality traits of a group of 633 twins and 278 other family members to find patterns between myopia and openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism.
Results revealed no link between myopia and introversion, but a small but significant association with agreeableness.
Pondering why the myth persists, the researchers said it was likely people believed spectacle wearers were more nerdy because they were actually smarter.
"Myopic people do indeed score relatively high on measures of IQ and educational attainment, and intelligent people are commonly stereotyped as introverted, reserved and bookish," they wrote in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science.
"By this argument, myopic people may be inaccurately inferred to have these traits because they are accurately seen as intelligent."
Prof Baird said the results had important social implications.
"Good eye care is really important, but unfortunately there are not always good associations with wearing glasses," he said.
"This shows that people, particularly children, should not avoid or delay wearing glasses due to preconceived ideas about what it would imply about their personalities."
