Risk Factors For and Progression of Myopia in Young Taiwanese Men

Purpose: To investigate the association between potential risk factors for myopia and its progression in young adult Taiwanese men. Methods: A survey of male military conscripts (aged 18-24 years) was conducted from February 2010 to March 2011 in Taiwan. Participants underwent comprehensive eye examinations, including measurements of axial length and corneal radius by optical biometry and non-cycloplegic autorefraction. Participants also provided self-reported progression of myopia and information regarding potential risk factors, including age, parental myopia, educational level, close work, outdoor activities, and urbanization. Results: Of 5145 eligible participants, 5048 (98.11%) provided refraction and questionnaire data; 2316 (45.88%) of the 5048 also had biometric measurements. The prevalence of myopia was 86.1% in this group, with a mean refractive error of -3.66 diopters (D). Of the 5048 participants, 1376 (27.3%) had experienced progression of their myopia during the past year. There were trends for a higher prevalence of myopia among older participants (p = 0.014), those with a history of parental myopia (p<0.001), higher levels of education (p = 0.001), increased time spent reading (p<0.001), less time outdoors (p=0.003), and higher levels of urbanization (p = 0.010). However, only parental myopia, close work, and higher urbanization levels were significantly associated with self-reported progression of myopia. Conclusion: Older age, parental myopia, higher educational level, close work, fewer outdoor activities, and higher urbanization level were associated with the prevalence of myopia in Taiwanese men.