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The impact of parental myopia on myopia in Chinese children: population-based evidence
Fan Xiang1, Mingguang He, Ian G Morgan
1State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Insights
Parental myopia is a significant risk factor for childhood myopia in urban Chinese children, even when accounting for near-work activities. This suggests a potential genetic link requiring further investigation into environmental factors.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Genetics
- Public Health
Background:
- Myopia prevalence is increasing globally, particularly in East Asia.
- Understanding the interplay of genetic and environmental factors in childhood myopia is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between parental myopia and myopia development in urban Chinese children.
- To explore the influence of parental myopia, socioeconomic factors, and children's near-work activities on myopia prevalence.
Main Methods:
- A population-based sample of 4364 children aged 5-15 years in Guangzhou underwent comprehensive ocular examinations.
- Cycloplegic refraction was performed, and data on parental myopia, socioeconomic status, and children's near-work habits were collected via questionnaires.
- Myopia was defined as a spherical equivalent refraction of ≤-0.5 diopters.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of myopia was high in children (78.4% in 15-year-olds) and significantly higher than in their parents (19.8%).
- Children with one or two myopic parents showed a higher prevalence of myopia (88.9% and 83.3%, respectively) compared to those with no myopic parents (68.2%).
- Parental myopia was the only significant predictor of childhood myopia in multiple regression analysis, independent of near-work activities.
Conclusions:
- A substantial proportion of urban Chinese children develop myopia by age 15.
- Parental myopia presents an additional risk factor for childhood myopia, suggesting a potential genetic predisposition.
- Further research is needed to disentangle the genetic and environmental influences on myopia development in this population.
Purpose:
To determine the relationship between myopia in parents and their children in a sample of urban Chinese children.
Methods:
Random sampling was used to identify a population-based sample of 4364 children aged 5 to 15 years from Guangzhou. Children had a comprehensive ocular examination including cycloplegic (1% cyclopentolate) refraction (ARK-30; Nidek Corp.). Data on parental myopia, education levels, incomes and occupations, and children's near-work activities were collected by questionnaire. Myopia in the children was defined as a spherical equivalent refraction of ≤-0.5 diopter.
Results:
The prevalence of myopia was significantly higher in the children than in their parents (78.4% in 15-year-old children, compared with 19.8% in the parents, p < 0.001). The prevalence of myopia was 88.9% in children with one parent myopic, 83.3% in those with two parents myopic, and 68.2% in those without myopic parents, compared with 85.3% in those with tertiary-educated parents, 73.3% in those with secondary-educated parents, and 60.0% in those with less educated parents. Parental income and occupation had weaker associations with childhood myopia. In multiple regression analysis, only parental myopia remained significantly associated with myopia in the children. The observed additional risk among those with more myopic parents could not be attributed to reported near-work activities in children.
Conclusions:
A high percentage of children in Guangzhou become myopic by the age of 15, irrespective of the myopic status of their parents. There is, however, an additional risk of myopia in children with myopic parents, which may have a genetic basis, but further analysis of the impact of possible environmental confounders is required.
