Prevalence of myopia and myopic progression in a population of clinical microscopists

The frequency of refractive errors in a population of clinical microscopists is presented. The prevalence of myopia in this population (N = 251) was found to be 71%, with 49% of the population reporting onset or progression of myopia after entry into clinical microscopy (after 21 years of age). Of subjects undergoing renewed progression of an existing myopia since starting clinical microscopy, 56% reported no refractive change for the 5 years before entering their profession. Accuracy of reporting refractive changes was found to be high. No differences were found in task-related functions between those subjects reporting myopic change in adulthood from those who did not report myopic change.