Association Between Medication-Taking and Refractive Error in a Large General Population-Based Cohort.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pharmacology
• Genetics

Background:

• Refractive errors, including myopia, are prevalent and a significant cause of vision impairment.
• Understanding factors influencing refractive error is crucial for public health and disease mechanism research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate associations between medication use and refractive error in an aging adult cohort.
• To determine if childhood-onset refractive errors predict future medication use.
• To offer novel insights into the mechanisms underlying refractive error development.

Main Methods:

• A comparative analysis of spherical equivalent values in 102,318 UK Biobank participants.
• Evaluation of medication-refractive error associations against the age of spectacle wear.
• Causality inference using sensitivity and Mendelian randomization analyses.

Main Results:

• Anti-glaucoma drugs were linked to increased myopia (1-2 diopters), especially in early-onset spectacle wearers.
• Analgesics (paracetamol, opiates, NSAIDs, gabapentinoids) were associated with hyperopia (+0.68-1.15 diopters).
• Oral hypoglycemics, allopurinol, and bronchodilators showed associations with myopia and hyperopia, respectively.

Conclusions:

• This study establishes a novel link between medication use and adult refractive error.
• Analgesic use and chronic pain may predispose individuals to hyperopia.
• Certain medications (antihyperglycemics, bronchodilators) may directly impact refractive error; intraocular pressure is implicated in myopia development.