In a study, researchers repeatedly measured the intraocular pressure of thousands of teenage volunteers over four years. The researchers found that intraocular pressure increased more quickly in teenagers who used screens for more than six hours per day. Since elevated intraocular pressure is associated with vision impairment, the researchers concluded that heavy daily screen use contributes to vision impairment.
In order to assess the force of the researchers' evidence for their conclusion, it would be most helpful to know whether
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Given:
Conclusion: Researcher concluded that heavy daily screen use contributes to vision impairment.
Premise:
1. Intraocular pressure is associated with vision impairment.
2. Intraoclular pressure increased more quickly in teenagers who used screens for more than 6 hour per day.
Answer: C
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(A) among volunteers whose intraocular pressure was highest at the end of the study, most had already had elevated readings at the start.
Regardless whether or not highest came in with elevated pressure the premise states that those with 6+ hours saw rapid increase in pressure. - No impact
(B) intraocular pressure is a reliable indicator of overall visual system health compared with other eye measurements
It already stated fact that pressure is associated with vision impairment - no impact
(C) any other habits common among teenagers who use screens for more than six hours per day also tend to cause intraocular pressure to increase more quickly
This could be useful to know as it could be another variable that is not accounted for, rather then the screen time that led to a more rapid increase in pressure found in those with 6+ hours of screen which could rendered the conclusion invalid - correct answer.
(D) any of the volunteers whose intraocular pressure increased during the study used screens for fewer than six hours per day
The premise already gives us the comparison to those that use less than in 6 hours with "more quickly" - no impact
(E) vision impairment can result from factors that do not involve elevated intraocular pressure
The conclusion is screen time causes an increase in pressure thus vision impairment so that fact that other factors result in vision impairment besides pressure doesn't validate or invalidate the conclusion since we are given as a fact pressure is associated with vision impairment and that those with 6+ hours a more rapid increase in pressure. - no impact