Impact of age of myopia onset and parental myopia severity on the eventual myopia status in an individual

Abstract

AbstractPurpose To examine whether parental myopia and the age of myopia onset can predict the eventual severity of myopia for an individual. This will help decide whether a child needs treatment to slow myopia progression and the likely duration of treatment.Methods All myopic Chinese students aged 17 to 19 years old from a school in Singapore, and their parents were invited to participate in this study. Each eligible student and both parents had a comprehensive ocular examination (Retinomax K‐Plus2; Nikon, Tokyo, Japan). Participants also completed a questionnaire on their age, sex, age of onset and stabilisation of myopia. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS.Results 59 female and 41 male eligible students and their biological parents were assessed. The individual’s age of myopia onset was moderately correlated (r=0.600) with his post‐stabilisation myopia status. Parental myopia severity was mildly associated with the individual’s myopia status (Pearson’s correlation(r)=0.337). The daughters’ myopia status correlated better with their mothers' than fathers', while that of sons' better with their fathers'. Despite a general trend of myopia severity being worse in females than males, a Z‐test showed that the means of myopia severity of the 2 groups were not significantly different, and a Chi‐square test showed that the individual’s myopia status is independent of parental myopia.Conclusion The results suggest that for a Chinese myopic child in Singapore, a young age of myopia onset would be associated with a more severe eventual myopia status. Decision to prescribe drugs to slow myopia progression should be based on a young age of onset rather than family history, as this has a greater impact on eventual myopia status than parental myopia.