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Updated: May 8, 2026
07:06
Binocular Dynamic Visual Acuity in Eyeglass-Corrected Myopic Patients
Published on: March 29, 2022
Myopia and glaucoma in the South Korean population
Brian Chon1, Mary Qiu, Shan C Lin
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
|September 12, 2013
Summary
Severe myopia increases glaucoma risk in South Koreans. This study found higher odds of glaucoma diagnosis, visual field defects, and optic disc damage with increasing myopia severity.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Myopia is a growing global health concern.
- Normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) has a high prevalence in certain populations.
- Understanding the relationship between refractive error and glaucoma is crucial for early detection and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between myopia and glaucoma.
- To assess the link between myopia and visual field defects, optic disc structural damage, and intraocular pressure (IOP).
- To examine these associations in a South Korean population with a high prevalence of NTG.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study utilizing data from 13,433 participants of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2008-2011).
- Refractive status categorized into emmetropia, mild myopia, moderate myopia, severe myopia, and hyperopia based on spherical equivalent.
- Glaucoma diagnosis determined using International Society for Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology (ISGEO) criteria.
Main Results:
- Moderate and severe myopia were associated with significantly higher odds of glaucoma diagnosis compared to emmetropia.
- Increased odds of visual field defects were observed in mild and severe myopia.
- Optic disc structural damage showed increased odds in moderate and severe myopia.
- Mean intraocular pressure (IOP) was higher in all myopia categories (mild, moderate, severe) compared to emmetropia.
Conclusions:
- In the South Korean population studied, increasing severity of myopia is significantly associated with a higher likelihood of glaucoma.
- These findings highlight the importance of considering refractive status in glaucoma screening and risk assessment.
- Further research may explore the specific mechanisms linking myopia and glaucoma in this demographic.
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