Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 10, 2025
07:20
Inducement and Evaluation of a Murine Model of Experimental Myopia
Published on: January 22, 2019
10.3K
Myopia Prevalence and Ocular Biometry Features in a General Japanese Population: The Nagahama Study
Shin-Ya Nakao1, Masahiro Miyake2, Yoshikatsu Hosoda3
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan; Department of Ophthalmology, Tenri General Hospital, Nara, Japan.
Ophthalmology
|August 31, 2020
Summary
This study reveals that myopia prevalence in Japanese adults is increasing, possibly due to environmental factors. However, extreme myopia appears to have a strong genetic component, with stable prevalence across age groups.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Human Biology
- Population Health
Background:
- Ocular biometry and refractive error distributions are crucial for understanding visual health in populations.
- Previous studies on Japanese adults have provided baseline data, but recent environmental changes may be altering these parameters.
- The Nagahama Prospective Cohort Study offers a valuable resource for examining current ocular health trends.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the current distribution of ocular biometry and refractive error in a large cohort of Japanese adults.
- To determine the prevalence of myopia, high myopia, and extreme myopia in this population.
- To investigate potential age and gender-related differences in ocular parameters.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional analysis was performed on data from 9850 participants (aged 34-80) in the Nagahama Study (2013-2016).
- Ocular biometry measurements included axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), corneal diameter, and central corneal thickness (CCT).
- Refraction (spherical equivalent, SE) and corneal curvature (CC) were measured, and distributions and prevalences were calculated after standardization.
Main Results:
- Standardized mean axial length was 24.21 mm and mean spherical equivalent was -1.44 D.
- Prevalence of myopia (SE ≤ -0.5 D) was 49.97% and high myopia (SE ≤ -6.0 D) was 7.89%.
- Myopia was more common in younger individuals, but extreme myopia prevalence remained stable across ages, particularly in women, suggesting a potential genetic influence.
Conclusions:
- The study provides detailed ocular biometry and refraction data for Japanese adults, indicating higher myopia and high myopia prevalence compared to earlier studies.
- Increased myopia prevalence likely reflects recent environmental changes.
- Consistent prevalence of extreme myopia across all ages suggests a significant genetic predisposition for this phenotype.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Glaucoma: Overview
1.1K
Glaucoma is an eye condition characterized by increased intraocular pressure that damages the retina and optic nerve, leading to irreversible blindness if left untreated. The human eye has various components, including the cornea, iris, pupil, lens, and optic nerve. Aqueous humor is secreted by the epithelium of the ciliary body in the posterior chamber and flows through the trabecular meshwork and canal of Schlemm, maintaining normal intraocular pressure. The trabecular meshwork and the canal...
1.1K
01:16Focusing of Light in the Eye
4.7K
Light rays enter the eye through the cornea, a transparent dome-shaped tissue that is the eye's outermost layer. The cornea bends or refracts, light rays traveling to the pupil. The shape of the cornea determines how much of the light is bent and whether the image will be focused correctly on the retina at the back of the eye. Once the light has passed through both refraction layers, it converges into a single focal point onto a small area. This is where photoreceptors start transforming...
4.7K