Abstract
Purpose :
Parental myopia is associated with prevalence of childhood myopia. However, its association with childhood myopia onset and progression is unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine the influence of parental myopia on childhood myopia onset and progression.
Methods :
This is a longitudinal population-based study with a 3-year follow-up. A total of 3,279 subjects in 1,093 family trios from the Hong Kong Children Eye study received standardized ocular examinations and questionnaires both at baseline and at the 3-year follow-up visits. Cycloplegic auto-refraction was measured for children and non-cycloplegic auto-refraction for parents. Parental education, children's outdoor time and near work were collected by questionnaires.
Results :
548 boys and 545 girls were recruited, with a mean age of 7.53±0.94 (ranging from 6 to 8) years old and spherical equivalent (SE) of 0.31±1.47 D at the baseline visit. After 3 years (3.45±0.46 years) follow-up, cumulative myopia incidence was 43.4% (95% CI, 40.3% to 46.9%). SE change was -1.44±1.12 D. The cumulative myopia incidence and SE change were 23.7% (95%CI, 13.4% to 41.9%) and -0.97±0.73 D in children with non-myopic parents, 42.3% (95%CI, 36.1% to 49.4%) and -1.35±1.01 D with mild parental myopia, 68.8% (95%CI, 49.4% to 95.7%) and -2.25±1.42 D when both parents were highly myopic (P-trends were <0.001 and 0.001, respectively). Mild parental myopia did not increase the risk of childhood myopia incidence (P=0.34) or myopia progression (P=0.17). However, the risk of myopia onset was 5.18-fold when both parents were highly myopic. After adjusting age, sex, baseline SE, the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, children's outdoor and near work time, parental education, and family income, parental myopia was associated with the cumulative myopia incidence (OR=1.17, P<0.001) and myopia progression (β=-0.10, P<0.001) over three years.
Conclusions :
Parental myopia confers an independent effect on childhood myopia onset and myopia progression in a dose-related manner. Children with a high risk of myopia progression can be identified for early prevention, based on parental myopia data.
This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.