Degree of myopia in relation to intelligence and educational level

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Cognitive Science
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Myopia prevalence is increasing globally.
• The relationship between intelligence, education, and myopia is complex and not fully understood.
• Previous studies suggest a correlation between higher cognitive abilities and myopia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between intelligence test scores, educational levels, and myopia in a large cohort of young men.
• To determine if intelligence and education influence the degree of myopia progression.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 15,834 18-year-old men drafted for military service in Denmark.
• Participants were categorized as myopic (n=5943) or non-myopic (n=9891).
• Myopic individuals were further classified by the degree of myopia, ranging from -0.25 to -7.75 diopters (D).

Main Results:

• Myopic individuals demonstrated significantly higher intelligence test scores and educational levels compared to non-myopic individuals.
• No significant differences in intelligence or educational levels were observed among myopia groups with refractive errors from -2.0 D to -7.75 D.
• The association between intelligence/education and myopia was not linear with increasing diopters.

Conclusions:

• Intelligence and educational factors appear to play a role in the onset of myopia.
• These cognitive and educational factors seem to have a diminished impact on the progression of myopia to more severe levels.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms linking cognitive function, education, and myopia development.